As you head down the narrow hallway notice the originally a dumbwaiter for servants, the Castle’s single-person elevator was installed in the early 1920s. It hasn’t operated since Fred Eagle Royce’s era, when the Mayor of Kalamazoo was famously stuck inside for four hours after dinner. 

Restoration remains on François’s to-do list, but as a designated Historical Monument, every repair must use authentic early-20th-century parts. Recreating the original machinery would cost an estimated $1–3 million dollars. Henderson Castle is hosting many fundraisers throughout the year to achieve this goal of a functioning elevator.