Stronghold Center
Stronghold Castle or Stronghold Center is a Tudor-style castle located near Oregon, Illinois, atop the limestone bluffs along the Rock River. Designed by Maurice Webster, it was built between 1928 and 1930 by Walter A. Strong, then owner and publisher of the Chicago Daily News, as a summer home. In 1963, the castle and surrounding area were purchased by Blackhawk Presbytery Today, it serves as a year-round camping and retreat center, hosting summer camps and an Olde English Faire.
The castle includes 25 rooms and four secret passageways. In part inspired by visits to the famous Hearst Castle of rival New York Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, in 1928 Walter Strong and his wife Josephine purchased land west of the Rock River, including the barn and silo that form the basis of the castle's structure. The castle's limestone comes from two quarries on the property. Walter Strong died in May 1931, only a few months after construction was completed.
