Statement of Significance (as of designation - November 13, 1966):
From 1865 until his death, this High Victorian structure was the summer home of Jay Cooke (1821-1905), the "Napoleon of Finance". During the Civil War, bond sales by financier Cooke were an important source of financial support for the Union. The failure of his banking firm caused the Panic of 1873.

Condition:
The NHL is in fairly good condition.

This property is located on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie just across Put-in-Bay from South Bass Island. The "Castle" is part of a restricted island owned exclusively by Ohio State University. The island was bequeathed and used primarily as a Research Laboratory. The exterior of the home recently received a full restoration of the stone portion of the home. The back portion (wooden exterior) is in fair condition and has signs of peeling paint and other deterioration. The observatory that had been installed in the top of the turret of the castle has been removed and a roof re-installed; there are some instruments housed on the turret roof. The roof and porches have been replaced. The interior of the castle has the original fabric and is currently empty but deteriorated. OSU has plans to restore the interior and use it for “suites” for visiting professors and others. Staff from the NPS (Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial) have had preliminary discussions with Dr. Jeffrey Reutter about possible partnering to rehabilitate and open the Castle for limited guided tours. Further discussions and planning are required before this proposal can be considered viable but both parties are highly interested in restoring the Castle.