550 Riverside Drive
The Castle
Designed by Karl Hoke, well known Toledo
architect who lived in Eagle Point Colony.
Was originally built for Harry France,
president of the France and Whitehouse
Stone Company. The property was originally
a farm and apple orchard that the France
family purchased in the 1920s.
The architect did extensive research of the
Cotswold district of England before building
the home. He brought a stone mason from
England to create the outside walls and
another Englishman served as the landscape
designer.
The home, which features a gable roof and
gothic style gargoyle waterspout, includes
seven fireplaces built with Indiana limestone
to help warm the home. The home has a
slate covered foyer, leaded glass windows,
and has a dining room floor of Italian tile.
The second floor has seven bedrooms and
four full baths. The third-floor attic contains
six cedar closets, one for each member of
the original family that lived there. Mr.
France’s gun room was housed in the tower
of the home.
