The Castle

Greetings, this is Nelson Olmsted. Today let's mount the battlements of a famed Portland, Oregon landmark. First, a few words from Clint Gruber and Pacific Power. Welcome once again to Stories of Pacific Power Land, a presentation of Pacific Power and Life, the company that has been serving the electric needs of the region's homes, farms and industries

through more than half a century of progress and growth. Now here's Pacific Power Land's favorite storyteller, Nelson Olmsted. It stands aloof, torreted and mysterious, anchored to a steep hillside, hardly more than a stone's throw from the busiest thoroughfare in Portland, Oregon. A four-story white castle complete with battlements, turret and vaulted windows, has inspired tales of romance, intrigue,

and the supernatural for more than 75 years. It is the legendary Pickett's Folly, built by the well-to-do eccentric Charles H. Piggett. In the early 1890s it quickly became the talk of a town, one Portlander remarked, Look up yonder! If that ain't the craziest thing to build, they say it's costed that fellow Piggett better than ten thousand dollars.

Well, maybe he's crazy like a fox. He's in the brick business, you know. Ever see a better advertisement for bricks? But Charles Piggett was pleased with his reputation as it stood. He would sweep back his mane of flowing hair with both hands and say, So they called me a crank.

Good, I am prouder for it. No progress is made in this world except by cranks. Let no man forget it. When Charles Piggett moved in, and established for himself a sanctum-sank-torum in the small turret room barely seven feet in diameter, here he occupied himself with philosophic and prophetic writings, which he later compiled in a slim volume entitled,