46 replies to this topic

[juliet_keller]

Dave and I decided to go check out this place a month ago. Looks like this place is going no where. The windows and doors are still boarded up, we did see a security camera on the outside of the front of the mansion, don't know if it was actually running, like there for show, but it was enough that it kept Dave and I from venturing on the property. We don't understand it, because when we went through the building over a year ago, Charles was having a new floor laid in the ballroom. The pictures that are listed on his website I laughed about because on the restoration page, it has pictures of the woodwork that is orginially there and doorknobs, in fact you can see a cobweb in the one picture of the stairwell landing, nothing being restored. It is a shame because this building is awesome and I would love to see it restored to the original splendor it once was, It's gorgeous, what I wouldn't give for something like that, let alone it's haunted. With everything that keeps happening to the building with the owners it makes me wonder if Hans put a curse on his home? Julie

[DukeofBoogie]

The Tiedemann House, on Aug 24 2006, 09:30 AM, said:

You are completely right and Charlie is a very close friend of mine. I do not agree with his "CLUB" ideas and I could tell you A LOT of stories about his plans that are not going anywhere. Email me.

You would be surprised to know the truth...

Hi Tiedemann, welcome to GV. I'd Love to hear more about the castle. I'd like if you'd share with us all in the thread but if you can't, then send me a PM via GhostVillage.

Hope to hear more from you on the boards. Have a look around at some of the other topics. There are alot of Ohioans here that share their stories.

[Oniix]

According to the web site, there's been activity there in Oct. 05' but that 's about it, and almost all of the haunted hallowen party styles.

yeah nothing in those pics at all would tell you anything Clubwise is going on.

[Crone]

What an awesome building! Too bad about the situation now, though. I hope it doesn't go down the path of so many other great buildings in disrepair and get torn down. Hopefully someone will step up and put it to good use so others can enjoy it.

[spelling]

i thought he had a partner and that he was being backed by someone else? i recently read that he was considered a scam with the whole club idea!? did anyone else read this? i had been on a tour of the castle and he was telling people to take pictures of his face because all of the pictures taken with his face in them had orbs. he clained that the ghosts liked what he was doing with the place. i found them to be dust orbs.

Edited by spelling, 26 August 2006 - 06:59 PM.

[Night Star]

It is indeed an awesome building! I'd like to hear more too.

[juliet_keller]

spelling, on Aug 26 2006, 07:57 PM, said:

i thought he had a partner and that he was being backed by someone else? i recently read that he was considered a scam with the whole club idea!? did anyone else read this? i had been on a tour of the castle and he was telling people to take pictures of his face because all of the pictures taken with his face in them had orbs. he clained that the ghosts liked what he was doing with the place. i found them to be dust orbs.

Spelling, I am not sure on how you obtained your information on this owner. I don't agree to your whole post. When we talked to him last year, he told us that he is the only one who will operate the club. He also said that he was looking forward to opening the castle and restore it to it's original style. Therefore he said to us that some type of members club would be ideal. Also when we were there touring the castle we were taking video and pictures. He came up to us and asked us what we were doing. Of course I said to him "who in the hell are you?" He then said to us that he was the owner. I quickly apalogized to him. He then told us to reframe from taking pics and video. This man was not happy at all with the photography thing. After we got done touring he mentioned to us that he does not believe in the paranormal and people just make this stuff up for attention. I doubt this man is going to let people take pics of himself to show people that "orbs" hang around his face!! Awesome place to visit! Dave

[juliet_keller]

The Tiedemann House, on Aug 24 2006, 09:30 AM, said:

DukeofBoogie, on Sep 29 2005, 05:28 AM, said:

I think it's a darn shame that a peice of Cleveland's history is aloud to sit there empty like that. The rumour about the "club" has been going round for a couple of years now. The B&B idea won't work because, the Castle is in an awful nieghborhood. Who would pay to sleep there (except us ghost hunters)?

In my opinion it should be purchased by the historical society, and opened to the public as a museum, and they could also hold ghost tours at night.

You are completely right and Charlie is a very close friend of mine. I do not agree with his "CLUB" ideas and I could tell you A LOT of stories about his plans that are not going anywhere. Email me.

You would be surprised to know the truth...

No offense Tied but if Charles is such a close friend of yours, why do you want to share his failures with us? Isn't that called back-stabbing a friend? If my buddy failed at alot of things that are this big, i would think I would keep my mouth closed and remind myself that it is none of my buisiness about his failures. Only his! Hey, at least this man tried! Dave

[spelling]

the tour i went on was a tour specifically for "ghost tours" pictures were welcome if not encouraged and the castle was on a tour called haunted cleveland. the stop was on the tour as a dinner stop, you had to pay extra for that. maybe that's why the pictures were discouraged because he had a contract with the tour company for the extra money. yes , he did say he wanted to restore the castle but about a month ago in the plain dealer they had an article on how this was a scam. as far as the other owner, he told us that himself. i don't know but something is strange.....? not to disagree, but...? he did tell people to take pictures of his face.

Edited by spelling, 27 August 2006 - 07:29 AM.

[spelling]

spelling, on Aug 27 2006, 07:28 AM, said:

the tour i went on was a tour specifically for "ghost tours" pictures were welcome if not encouraged and the castle was on a tour called haunted cleveland. the stop was on the tour as a dinner stop, you had to pay extra for that. maybe that's why the pictures were discouraged because he had a contract with the tour company for the extra money. yes , he did say he wanted to restore the castle but about a month ago in the plain dealer they had an article on how this was a scam. as far as the other owner, he told us that himself. i don't know but something is strange.....? not to disagree, but...? he did tell people to take pictures of his face.

the name of the other owner is michelle heimburger. if you go to cleveland.com they have some forums on this. i can't find the plain dealer article yet

[juliet_keller]

spelling, on Aug 27 2006, 08:42 AM, said:

spelling, on Aug 27 2006, 07:28 AM, said:

the tour i went on was a tour specifically for "ghost tours" pictures were welcome if not encouraged and the castle was on a tour called haunted cleveland. the stop was on the tour as a dinner stop, you had to pay extra for that. maybe that's why the pictures were discouraged because he had a contract with the tour company for the extra money. yes , he did say he wanted to restore the castle but about a month ago in the plain dealer they had an article on how this was a scam. as far as the other owner, he told us that himself. i don't know but something is strange.....? not to disagree, but...? he did tell people to take pictures of his face.

the name of the other owner is michelle heimburger. if you go to cleveland.com they have some forums on this. i can't find the plain dealer article yet

Cool, I will check it out! Thanks! Dave

spelling, on Aug 27 2006, 08:42 AM, said:

spelling, on Aug 27 2006, 07:28 AM, said:

the tour i went on was a tour specifically for "ghost tours" pictures were welcome if not encouraged and the castle was on a tour called haunted cleveland. the stop was on the tour as a dinner stop, you had to pay extra for that. maybe that's why the pictures were discouraged because he had a contract with the tour company for the extra money. yes , he did say he wanted to restore the castle but about a month ago in the plain dealer they had an article on how this was a scam. as far as the other owner, he told us that himself. i don't know but something is strange.....? not to disagree, but...? he did tell people to take pictures of his face.

the name of the other owner is michelle heimburger. if you go to cleveland.com they have some forums on this. i can't find the plain dealer article yet

If this was all a scam, why was he dumping so much money into this building? I believe that something else happend to him and he pulled out of the project. Either he ran out of money, he had no permit, or something from the other side kept his workers out of the building. I like the last one! Spirits usually don't like their home being messed with. Dave

[DukeofBoogie]

Good Friend, Bad friend, he said, she said, so on and so forth. I still want to here what's going on with this place. As I stated earlier, this is a piece of Cleveland history, and to allow it to sit empty and rotting (in my opinion) is a crime.

I think the owner should get the right contractors in to finish the job, or sell to someone who will. Though I still think that ownership should go to the Ohio Historical Society.

Edited by DukeofBoogie, 27 August 2006 - 11:12 AM.

[spelling]

my sentiments exactly, duke! on cleveland .com they have a forum for that discussion. unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a contact to see why it's not progressing. i too, wish that something could be done about it. it's really a shame that such a grand structure is left to rot.

[Andi]

Not to jump in on your conversation, but I just had to comment.

I agree with so many points in this thread. FC is a historic landmark and I cannot figure for the life of me why the Historical Society won't step in. From what I've been told, by county officials in Cleveland that know a bit about this place, is that there is some red tape surrounding this structure and therefore the Historical Society doesn't want to get involved in the mess. This could be wrong info, but I was told that the owner has run out of money AND interest in this project. The photos on the website are quite ridiculous actually. Just different angles of the same stuff that anybody could have taken. Nothing screams "RESTORATION IN PROGRESS" in any of them. When calling the phone number on the "Franklin Castle Club" info sign, you get a canned recording and never a phone call back.

I have had a personal interest with this building. I would love to be able to get inside it, but from what I've learned, the owner doesn't take fancy to ghost enthusiasts and won't open it to tours. I don't even think he lives in the area. What's strange is that even though it's boarded up and creepy looking, it's still decorated seasonally with pumpkins and such. Who's doing this? That always made me scratch my head.

Do you all even know about all of the tunnels that run from that castle to under the Cleveland Clinic and other very old places? Even under Lake Erie, as it was a part of the prohibition period of Cleveland.

I've done a bunch of research on this place, and would LOVE to go in and see things first hand.

Maybe someday.

::::sigh::::

[DukeofBoogie]

I just had a thought, though I haven't got the first idea on how to get it going. But anyhow, What if some of us enthusiasts started a "Save the Castle" non-profit organiztion aimed at raising funds for the purchase and restoration and eventual donation to the Historical Society?????

That is assuming there is enough public interest in saving the castle.

Edited by DukeofBoogie, 27 August 2006 - 01:42 PM.