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Kinnelon Castle History
When John Konarski surveyed this patch of land, he thought he would build his house at the bottom of the steep, rocky parcel across from a scenic lake.
But it was only after shaking hands with the real estate agent that he learned there were ruins at the top of the ridge. "It was just an aside. An, 'Oh, by the way there's some rocks up there,'" Konarski said with a warm smile.
One look at the ruins, and Konarski knew exactly where he would build his new home. Much more than a pile of rocks, the frame of an old mansion remained standing.
"I walked all the way up the mountain and there I saw the remains of this castle. I fell in love," he said. "I knew for sure that I wanted to keep it intact and fix it back to the way it was."
Konarski, of Wayne, is the proud owner of what's known as the Kinnelon Castle or The Gate. It's the subject of urban legends and popular fodder for locals telling stories around the campfire. Konarski plans to spend millions to rebuild the missing portions of the home and when complete, the mansion should look exactly as it did when it was created - 40,000 square feet of luxury.
The roof and most of the second floor is gone, but what remains is a strong foundation, staircases, and the stone frame of one of the oldest homes in the borough. The basement, first floor, and a few balconies seem almost untouched.
Milton Untermeyer, one of the fathers of Kinnelon, built the house in 1920. Untermeyer was a wealthy New York City stockbroker and imported all the materials from Europe - including the finest Italian stone, tile, and marble.
The mansion, built to resemble a French provincial castle, had seven gables, a slate roof, stained-glass windows, several balconies, a sun deck, and three fireplaces. It overlooks Untermeyer Lake and a small boathouse. The mansion's carriage house, however, was sold separately and is now the home of another family.
And the wrought-iron fence for which the home was famous surrounds another house down the street. The gate was refurbished and its intricate details restored.
Untermeyer was one of the main proponents urging neighbors to secede from Old Pequanoc. He donated hundreds of acres of his land in order to help create the borough of Kinnelon, which was incorporated in 1922.
The house changed hands a few times, and one owner, the Gilbreth family of Montclair, wanted to turn it into a ski and winter resort. But it caught fire in 1968, dashing those plans.
The castle is nestled in one of the highest and rockiest ridges in the borough, and was long forgotten. About a decade ago, however, developers began moving in, and now the abandoned mansion is surrounded by new multimillion-dollar homes.
The mansion is not visible from any road. It's hidden under thick brush and naturally gated by towering, majestic beech trees. The long, winding driveway is its only connection to the rest of town.
When Konarski purchased the land over the summer, there were few signs of previous owners, such as old clothing, furniture, or remnants. He found only a few empty wine bottles and some original tiles.
He spends most weekends clearing out brush and preparing the home for restoration. Crews will begin to extend pipes for plumbing and septic to the home this spring. The next phase will be replacing missing parts of the foundation, but most of it is in great shape - the home was built right into the cliff. From there, Konarski will work upward.
Konarski, who is in the textile industry, plans to import the same stone to complete the top of the moss-covered house, which needs to be power-washed. The second floor is missing, as is the roof, and there are staircases enveloped by lush vines that lead nowhere. There are trees growing out of the fireplace, and what looks like a coy pond complete with exotic fronds budding in what will be the master bedroom.
The interior will be decorated in historic style, but with a state-of-the-art twist: mahogany floors, oval doorways, skylights, walk-in closets, and maybe a Jacuzzi or two. There are also plans for a pool, exotic garden, horseshoe driveway, and a wrought-iron gazebo with climbing roses.
"We might take a vacation to France to study architecture and interior design and get some great ideas," Konarski said.
Lucy Meyer, the borough historian, wrote about the regal home in her book, "Kinnelon: A History," and she even made a video on the castle for students at Kinnelon High School.
"The high school students have all sorts of stories about that place," Meyer said laughing. "People chasing them with shotguns and all sorts of tales."
Some say the fire that burnt the home down was "mysterious," but there are no records. Other tall tales describe an old recluse who lived off the land and chased everyone who disturbed her off the property. And of course there are several ghost and haunted-house stories, too. Virtually no two people tell the same story.
"It's awesome that someone is actually going to live there," said Maia Jarroush, 18, a senior at Kinnelon High School. Jarroush was familiar with a version of the tale about the old lady living in the abandoned castle. "It gives a nice, medieval feel to the neighborhood," she said giggling.
Konarski, his wife, Grace, and daughter, Jillian, plan to move into the home in early 2005.
Konarski is already sprucing the place up. He planted 100 rosebushes, and more than 600 tulip and daffodil bulbs.
"I figure they'll start popping up while we're moving. It'll be nice," Konarski said. "I can't help myself. I just can't wait."
Neither can many people in the area anxiously waiting to get a glimpse of the home once its completed.
"It's so wonderful that someone's going to restore that home," Meyer said. "There is so much history connected to it and the land surrounding it."
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