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For Aspiring Royals, Florida’s Lakeside Castle Is a Perfectly Regal Starter Home

A castle in the decidedly nonroyal locale of Lake Worth, FL, is now on the market for $1,245,000. Built in 1925 and designed by architect G. Sherman Childs, Lakeside Castle is for sale for the first time in almost 17 years.

The four-bedroom home has gone through major restorations, though its original details have been preserved. The layout is a dream for entertainers, and includes a game room with bar, a formal dining room, and a heated swimming pool.

“It is unique to the area,” says listing agent Brian Gleason. It’s also unique in what’s been preserved. “The house has the original kitchen and baths,” Gleason says, noting that those elements are usually the first to go in older homes.

The kitchen has a breakfast nook and features a fridge from the 1920s and a stove from 1887. The baths have original toilets, pedestal sinks, and some with free-standing tubs. Amazingly, everything works.

Which is a welcome change. The home, which was commissioned by a local family, was sold at auction for $10,000 during the Depression, and fell into disrepair for decades. In 1983, according to the Chicago Tribune, Lakeside Castle was purchased by Peter Appleton Greene, who spent 10 years restoring it. He sold it in 2000.

The current owner has decided to downsize and move closer to her grown children. Over the past 17 years, she’s updated the electric, plumbing, and central air. She also converted the three-car garage into a one-car garage, and turned the rest of the separate building into a bar.

Along with the real estate, she’s wiling to leave the decor with the house. All that adds up to a pretty good deal. “You could not re-create this in today’s money for what we’re asking, not even close,” Gleason says.

The gated property features massive front doors flanked by statues of conquistadors. Inside, the lock is a heavy wood beam that is placed across the entry.

The two-story foyer opens into a 35-foot-tall turret with a staircase. There’s a conservatory with a fountain, and the dining room includes a chandelier with “cake icing” plaster on the ceiling.

The oak flooring and tile are also original. There are four fireplaces, including one in the master bedroom. The property is one block from the water, and across the bridge from Palm Beach.

The separate bar includes a pool table. Gleason points out that the home is suited for large parties. “There’s a ton of square footage. For entertaining, this is an awesome house.”

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