I have to admit when I think of Illinois, castles aren't the first thing that comes to mind. Perhaps I should reconsider as I've learned about a real Illinois castle that took 36 years to build.

Saw this interesting article on Only In Your State regarding the Bettendorf Castle. They shared that it was created starting back in 1931 by Theodore "Teddy" Bettendorf. It's enough like a castle that you have expect to see a drawbridge and a moat with alligators in it. The word is he wanted his home in Illinois to look like his homeland in Luxembourg.

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Every inch of this property just screams "I want to be a knight".

The Illinois Castle it Took 36 Years to Build

By my not spectacular math skills, construction began in 1931 and concluded in 1967. The guy who owns it now spoke with WGN in Chicago not that many years ago to talk about the property as it currently is.

The official website indicates Bettendorf Castle is available for weddings, photo shoots, events, etc. I have to wonder if they'd allow me to have a family jousting event. Asking for a friend.

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