Woods-Smith Castle

Castles tend to be a pretty rare thing in Missouri, especially in the suburbs of South County. Most locals aren't even aware of the castle right around the corner from their house. This could be due to the fact that for years it has been located on the property of a fairly large corporation. I tend to get the feeling, and I'm not sure why, that they don't enjoy visitors. Ah well, I'm sure it's nothing. Matt and I explored the ruins of the little known Woods-Smith Castle a number of months ago, but it is interesting enough that I believe it deserves an after the fact post.


I had heard of Woods-Smith from an individual who only heard "a rumour" about it, and my subsequent research led me to a number of websites offering information about it. The short story is that a very wealthy man in the 30s wanted to build a mansion that rivaled that of the Busch family at Grant's Farm. The castle was his vision and work on it lasted for a few years, but was halted when he lost all of his money because of the Great Depression. The castle was never finished, and all that remains now are the stone walls and walkways that many recreational boaters have commented about on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.

So Matt and I set out to find it. I had a vague idea of where it was located, but no idea how to reach it. The coporation apparently didn't like company, but luckily we found a much easier way in. At first, I didn't know we had found it. For some reason, the fact that I had walked up onto a strange stone wall in the middle of hte woods didn't register with me.

"Is that it?" I asked Matt. Well, as we came to the edge of the wall, we could tell that, in fact, it was. I have to say, what the site lacks in size it make up for with beauty. Had Woods-Smith ever been finished, I can only imagine how breathtaking it would have been. Even now: incomplete, overgrown, and crumbling in places, it is a site to behold. We wandered around the various stone paths, exploring every wall and column. It is obvious that some of the fine stonework is missing. Local lore says that you can find pieces of the castle in various yards around South County. I don't doubt it. Time and the elements have been harshest to the single stone gazeebo, where the plaster roof is quickly crumbling away. Areas like the fountain and stone staircase are remarkable well preserved. As Matt and I began the walk back to our vehicle, we met an old man out enjoying the great weather. On a hunch, we asked him about the castle. He was aware of it, and told us about visiting it as a child. He also knew the story of the castle's first owner and his financial demise. I am very surprised and almost saddened that such a relic of our past has been completely overlooked by any kind of historical organization, and even the St. Louis park system. Why does this unused site remain the property of this coporation when it could very easily be incorporated into the nearby county park? It seems like such a waste to me. Could it just be that no one knows about this spot? I somehow find that hard to believe. It is my wish that some one will take notice of this treasure, or else the beauty of Woods-Smith Castle may only be beheld by those willing to go to great lengths and risk legal action. Not that those things bother me at all.