History of the Castle

Max Helmer toured Europe in the 1920s as a concert violinist. He was the Liberace of his time and performed for most of the crowned heads of Europe. His music made him famous and wealthy. Max inherited the large estate from his father Fred Helmer who was a Jackson banker. It is said that Max fell in love with castles while touring Europe and being a reclusive bachelor, found this quiet hilltop property as the perfect setting for him to build his own six-story copy of a fifth-century Roman hall he had admired in Nuremberg, Germany. Thus, he built his castle atop one of the tallest elevations in Southwest Michigan.

Built in 1929, the stone structure was originally designed for seclusion, but it became a point of great interest. Builder C.J. Jorgensen crafted the tower keep using fieldstone from the neighboring Almaran "Mattie" Hatt farm. More than 500 tons of rock and 300 barrels of cement were used to build the first five floors. Jorgensen used horses, nine helpers and a crane. The tower walls are 3-feet-wide at the base, and are tapered to the top.

The first five levels of the Helmer Castle tower were designed as bedrooms, each with their own fireplace, decorated with antiques and and are accessed by a narrow, winding spiral staircase. A sixth-floor lookout was later added to fix a ceiling leak. The top floor turret is accessible only from an outside balcony staircase (not for the faint of heart). On a clear day you can see for 25 miles! Beneath the structure is a customary castle feature -- a dungeon -- entered through a trap door on the first floor. A 2-story wing was added in 1937. Worker Joe Forcier used a team of Belgian draft horses to haul more stone from Hatt's land. Helmer decorated with antiques and many European items, including authentic wrought-iron hinges from the Middle Ages.Helmer died Dec. 5, 1948, at age 55. It was originally thought he was murdered at home, but it was later ruled a heart attack. After Helmer's death, the building became home to Edna Barnes until 1973. Barnes was known to fend off trespassers with a gun and a German shepherd named Klaus. In 1975, it was the film location of the horror movie "Demon Lover." It then passed through several other owners. The Klenk family resided in the castle for 35 years from 1982 until recently when we purchased it. Up until now, the castle has been strictly off limits to the public.

You have heard the rumors…now discover it for yourself!

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