His sons bought interest in a grocery store at 3rd and Main as Anthony settled into a home at 17th and Grand while serving as president of the German Savings Association. It's time to use eminent domain. Some say Berry was a hermit for the 30 years he lived there. to avoid the auction yet again. The orchards were still producing, and with her mother, they would make jams and preserves to keep in the cool basement. He had married his wife Francesca in Vienna, Austria at age eighteen and a half. The definitive, most authoritative work ever authored about the castle. According to court records, A.L. Nestled on a cliff overlooking the Kaw River valley stands a brick mansion that holds generations of memories and the story of success of a German immigrant. Trust in his word has been broken countless times. After his visit, Laurance did more research on his own and realized that there was more to the restoration of Sauer Castle. The auction was scheduled for April 2020, but was delayed due to COVID. It was placed in the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1977. On May 20, 1930, John S. Perkins shot himself in the head in the upstairs bathroom. Great Article! His unique personality (including rarely lighting the house while even inside) had stories of spirits afloat. Carl Lopp's hired caretaker of the house was charged with felony theft on August 15, 1996, for stealing $30,000 worth of artifacts from the house, including a tractor, dress, chandelier, copper from the furnace, and wall sconces. There are no buried treasures, no secret tunnels, no bodies buried there, and nobody hanging in the tower. So, he put the images back up on the page. Frankly, he blames the city for most of the current state of Sauer Castle. Lopp bought the property next door and the duplex behind it on S. 10. He asked for a 30-day delay so he could develop his own plan. I cant make this up. They had plans to make it into a bed and breakfast. Kansas City, Kansas 66103. unforgiveable that one person could be so short sighted. He was baptized at a small church called St. Ignatius just on the other side of the Rhine from where he was raised. The entire front of the house was hidden in the shadows of the tree. Since 2016, our goal has been to save old houses and improve communities. Some neighbors werent thrilled with the idea that other houses would be condemned and torn down if Riedemenns plan came to fruition. A man after my own heart, Anthony Sauer held a sweet spot for not just drinking fine wine-but he also wanted to make it. He said it never happened because no one wanted to help. Ill let those of you who know me well or have followed my writing take a quick guess of how this turned out. Chandeliers imported from a supplier in Vienna, Austria are said to have had more than 600 pieces of individually cut crystals that sparkled magnificently as the candlelight danced through them.. In January 2022, he listed the property for $10 million, considered far above its true market value.[3]. She even laughed about how her sisters say they have a castle mentality. They learned to become gracious hostesses and still hold many of the treasures that do remain of her great-grandfathers furnishings at Sauer Castle. It looks like all Carl wants to do is allow this place to decay to the point that a full restoration would be financially unfeaseable, so that he can demolish the house, take the loss on his taxes, then sell the land to developers. I was also unable to find Ms. Jones while I was doing my research. This would give the Unified Government power of eminent domain, meaning the government could condemn the property, if necessary, the Kansas City Star reported. Neighbors wanted to give him another chance. During the interview, Hughes notes that the fireplace cover rattled furiously. Walls were covered with expensive paintings featuring religious figures- the Sauers were devout Catholics. The Sauer family, however, kept residence in this once-gorgeous Italian-style Villa for five generations until 1954. He was ordered to pay back taxes and come up with a formal plan to restore the home. . I've only recently become aware of this property and it's history. However, Shawnee Hill is a solid ledge rock, and making a tunnel would be an enormous and laborious task. Almost like large stair steps, the land still holds this terraced feature, even though the vineyards and grapes are long gone. The special taxes are for special assessments charged to the property for mowing and trash/debris removal, Wendy M. Green, Assistant Council for Wyandotte County explained. The house was in pretty bad shape then, Victoria told me. The front entrance had double, three-paneled doors of solid walnut with an arched stone frame. The people who built and lived in this incredible space have, Incredibly private, Berry continued to live in the home and listed it on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Stone pig-pens, a chicken house, a smoke and milk house along with outdoor brick ovens also graced the grounds of the property. One day and no one knew why she hung [sic] herself up there. Pocket doors looked to be in working function, but most of the beauty I had seen in the photos Thomas and Victoria shared with me has been stripped away long ago. This is my family history, too, Laurance explained. While on that visit, Carl proudly welcomed the family to Sauer Castle. Shortly after, he committed suicide by throwing himself from the tower. I can feel it, but I keep wondering if it is just in my head. Hughes did not say who these psychics were. A three-legged dog lurking on the castles grounds didnt help with all the drama. The house originally stood Today, only the Vaile Mansion (1881), St. Patricks Church (1875-finished in 1881) and Sauer Castle survived the bulldozers. Anthony and Mary Sauers oldest daughter, Eva Marie (1870-1955) married William Von Faussen and had one daughter named Helen. Maurice Schwalm was one Jones invited to the house. No treasure was ever found. It was a long few minutes. Why the Sauers would have such a tunnel built never seems to come up in explanations. The husband of one of Sauer's daughters It remains inhabitable, but Lopp still vows to renovate it and move in.. Even though he had read my article and should have acknowledged that I knew the history of Sauer Castle quite well, he still started from the very beginning- unable to break from the repeated record of detail given to people less informed than I. Some say that Bigknife had the title stolen from him, or he was tricked out of it. He was released hours before the funeral and his lawyer filed an appeal. On the positive side, there were elements of the landscape that blew me away- little morsels of the magical grounds that were carefully maintained by Anthony Sauer himself. Johns widow, Eva a strong, well-educated woman- was able to pick up the pieces and continued to live in the house her father built. from her beloved childhood home. Jones went on to relay to Hughes a couple of strange happenings in the house. Riedemann went to the city with his redevelopment proposal. It was said that seven yards of fabric was required for each window. THE ULTIMATE LIST OF CHEAP OLD HOUSES UNDER $50Kand BEYOND >. There are people who are ready to help restore the castle, including historic preservationists, flooring specialists and carpenters. Historian J.R. Russell attempted to discredit the rumors in his 1975 Kansas City Kansan article Old Mansion Filled with Legend. However, in my research, I did find the source of this rumor. That video is available on YouTube (click here!) Only two rooms and the kitchen were open for living space the rest was stuffed with antiques. In 1997, Lopp was found guilty of two housing court violations and was sentenced to probation. Two hand-carved sandstone lions were set to guard the impressive entrance of the mansion. So how about being a close neighbor of the haunted castle? In 1869, Anthony met a recently widowed 28-year-old woman with two girls named Maria Mary Messerschmidt. He was particularly angry that the photo I had chosen of the castle for the newspaper was a few years old. After some dancing around a declared number, Carl finally said it would be two to five years. However, his photo only showed a scratch of light over the doorway and another over an upstairs bedroom. His German Shepard was his only living companion, and a past throat accident left him with a wailing bark. She told her children about her fond memories of curling up in her father, John Perkins lap in a chair next to the fireplace while he read to her. The cellar measured approximately 35-feet long, 15-feet wide, and 12-feet high. It is a mystery to all those staff folks why he is allowed to keep playing the payment plan game after his long record of failing to ever make a payment after his initial payment. Huber- and others that were vital to the survival of Sauer Castle, such as a completely new roof to cover gaping holes, had yet to happen. By 1868, Anthony and his children had settled into growing Kansas City. No one knew who this boy was or what he did. This home needs to be saved while there is still time, So what I am getting from what I have read- I can not purchase land and house together it is a beautiful well constructed home needs work but is simply beautiful . A second-floor bathroom was equipped with an elaborate marble tub for bathing. Caretakers seem to have a habit of not staying very long at the Castle. He was 53 years old. There was never a hanging at the house, although there were one suicide and one natural death. In 1937, 23-year-old Eva Marie Perkins married George F. Martin and finally moved away to Austin, Tx. About an hour into a tour that was avoiding the interior of the castle altogether, I began to show the frustration that had been building by the numerous dismissals of my direct questions. Windows are boarded up; the grounds that once contained an orchard, greenhouse and a vineyard have transformed into an overgrown thicket of volunteer trees and brush that have overtaken other Sauer-built structures that were erected with no expense spared. All content Paranormal Activity Investigators, LLC, unless otherwise noted By 1868, Anthony and his children had settled into growing Kansas City. I pointed to the sign out front, up for over two decades, that reads, Family trust restoration project.. I have my own plans and timetables, and rest assured the Castle will continue to be maintained and improved over time. He failed. People have watched those tax sales every three years, hoping it would be the year they could purchase the home and restore it. A view from the tower in the early 1900s. That's the asking price for Sauer Castle", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sauer_Castle&oldid=1085830076, Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Kansas, Buildings and structures in Kansas City, Kansas, National Register of Historic Places in Kansas City, Kansas, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 May 2022, at 18:00. Dream, browse, window shop. I started asking around locally for haunting stories when I began this research early in 2003. Around 1870, Sauer set his sights on some land towering on the cliffs overlooking the Kaw River near Rosedale, Ks. Twelve acres, including the land that held the stone chicken coops, smokehouse and wine cellar, remained. No worries, though. Carl has been an absent landlord, and the only one responsible for its current condition is Carl. The pictures we took show the figure of a woman in the fount upstairs window on the right looking at the house and another on the entrance stairs. Elegant landscaping which complimented the well-manicured acreage Anton oversaw was added around the new pool. The story is this she would go up to the widow's walk and look out at the river. The owner is not interested in selling the structure. Could Carl convince me to publicly take back the words I carefully crafted? I'm afraid nobody can. The Wyandotte County Historical Society flirted with purchasing the home and making it a museum. If people want to donate, they need to know its going to the cause. His orchids were award-winning, and his year-round access to flowers meant fresh arrangements always adorned the dining room table. But given Carls 32-year history, no one is stepping forward to help him. and I have posted it on this blog for easy accessibility. She needs us all now more than ever. A Lawrence developer named Dan Riedemann wanted to restore the mansion, open a winery and build bungalows for overnight guests on acreage surrounding the landmark. At the visitation, the police arrested him for not reporting to jail. One could speculate that this is due to a haunting, but I feel it may be more the result of endless frustration in protecting the property from the curious and vandals who try to enter the property nightly. He admitted there is no family trust. In the mid-1850s, he decided to try his luck in the United States and immigrated with his family to New York City. When Carl bought the castle- I cannot stress this enough- it was still a working, living, habitable building. The shiny wood floors were made of alternate light and dark wood and were covered with expensive rugs. Before I even delve into my outdoor inspection of the property and what happened on that warm September day as my editor and me listened for over an hour to the castles owner, I need to tell you the history behind this historic landmark. He allowed no one inside the home, but the exteriors broken windows, falling-down iron work and unkempt grounds could be seen from the street. Underneath the parlor was a large, deep wine cellar. This house is the oldest of his designs left. in Kansas City, Ks. He lived in the mansion until his own death in December 1986. His brother worked for six months sorting through over 50,000 items so they could be auctioned off from the Sauer Castle grounds. Every tick of the clock is time that passes where past projects remain abandoned and additional problems arise. This likely had the city and neighbors a bit nervous- there was fear that since he showed little care for the castle, other properties would end up in disrepair. A 120x20 foot greenhouse sparked the curiosity of Kansas Citians. No one has ever given him a nickel. If you are familiar with Kansas City winds, especially up on a hill, you know what causes that type of sound. There are people who are ready to help restore the castle, including historic preservationists, flooring specialists and carpenters. One of her friends had asked to have her wedding at the mansion the previous February. It has been compared to sitting in front of a cool fan on a hot day. Now, this wasn't a beautiful castle-like the Sauer place. fabulous article. That time visiting her grandmother at Sauer Castle has stuck with Victoria after all these years. The two and a half story home with a four-story tower was a sight to see for miles. . You cannot reason with him. She couldnt keep up with the orchards, vineyard and the grounds, so in 1914, she sold off 41 acres of land to be developed into a subdivision. My mother- when she saw what Carl was doing to the castle- it just broke her heart. How sad to see it in such a state of ruin. One month and one day later on August 16, 1879, Anthony Sauer passed away in the master bedroom on the second floor from tuberculosis. When I mentioned family, I struck a nerve. Daughter Eve Maria Sauer married William C. Van Fossen in the house, having one child named Helen before the marriage failed 18 months into it. After purchasing the 63 acres, Sauer started carefully planning. He wasnt happy with my assessment and demanded that I, basically, take it back. In 1859, Tom Bigknife was given the title to this property, and he sold sections of it. A spade struck a brick, leading to a brick base about two feet underground with a flat stone at each corner. As a result, I have been the recipient of vitriol, character assassination, hate mail, and numerous threats against me. Price, status, neighborhood, condition and all other information must be independently verified. home was haunted. The Sauer home was the first in the entire area to have built-in closets and running water; a hydraulic engine pumped hot and cold water from a large spring on the property. His lawyer insisted that Lopp still had plans to restore the home. Its current condition doesnt help with the suspicions surrounding the three-acre property. It was not a haunted house, but the legend was there because we started it in fear of the unknown. His widow continued to live there until her death in 1921 and the property His probation terms included that he pay the back taxes and come up with a plan to restore the mansion. There were groups of people who had tried for years to get the property away from his distant relative with the hopes of restoring it. Always the tour guide topped with a cowboy hat accented with a feather, Carl Lopp accepted the chance to show off Sauer Castle. Not only was the main house a showstopper, but the acreage around it was meant to amaze the passerby. He often resorted to fighting vandals, thieves and curious trespassers off the property with his fierce three-legged dog. I suppose that the state-of-the-art second floor bathroom Gross Mutters father, Anthony had put into the castle was a wee bit far for an aging woman. If you wish to use any part of my research, please credit me, Becky Ray, properly. I wont soon forget the day that I was the first journalist allowed onto historic Sauer Castles grounds in over 30 years. When I mentioned that he's had three decades to restore it, he told me I was inaccurate. It was surreal to see Sauer Castle up close- without a green fence blocking a clear view. Your email address will not be published. Given the trouble that Mr. Berry had with break-ins, this is not surprising. Some say that Mary Sauer would walk the widows walk at the top of the four-story tower early in the evenings and sometimes late at night. There must be credible correlating stories about the haunting, as this is the only proof we can obtain at this time. A fountain in the front yard had water piped from a nearby spring. Also, the copper had been stripped from a turn-of-the-century heating unit in the basement. I hate to be a party pooper, but I bet I could go to any cemetery today and find someone who died on this day. That is just the story that they have heard and believed. It is said that everything except for the stone foundation was imported from St. Louis. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He made both my editor and me awkwardly lean down and focus our eyes on the foundation to prove how straight and sturdy it is. Anton Philip Sauer (1823-1879) and his second wife, Maria (1841-1919). After many thousand dollars in attorneys fees, we finally got our money, Huber recalled. Due to his own ill health, it was suggested that the cleaner air to the west may benefit him. It is a private family residence, and the people who are on this page need to recognize they are not the owners. Apparently, she fell into the water and was overcome before she could call for aid.. Carl is the reason that the castle looks the way it does today, Victoria insisted. Judge Burns ordered that he can go on one more payment plan by paying half of the taxes up front. They only left an email address, and that email is a dead end. The reason he doesnt pay the taxes isnt because he cant- its because he disputes the special assessments. What about the structre can it be purchased as well? Anton Philip Sauer (who went by Anthony) was born in Mainz, the largest city in the Rhineland in 1823 to Florian and Eva. Five generations of the Sauer family continued living in the mansion until the owner of a home heating oil company, Paul Berry, bought the house after Eve's death. Would love to purchase. People are tired. Most of the original features of the home were still preserved, including the marble fireplaces, imported crystal chandeliers and the stair railing that climbed from the basement all the way up to the third floor. He claimed all the important restorations on the Castle have been done- minus some woodwork. Anton Sauer came to the United States from Austria with his wife Francesca and five children in the 1860s. Carl Lopp, a descendent of Anton Sauer and New York socialite, purchased the home in 1988. I visited this house frequently. In 1858, they[clarification needed] decided to move to New York City to be with Anton's mother and sisters that had already been there for some time. Commonly referred to as Sauer Castle, this Italianate Villa at 935 Shawnee Rd. Berrys pride and joy, a 1902 Stanley Steamer. When Anthony died, both were buried side by side on the same day in Union Hill Cemetery. We never heard the story of the boy. The years after Carl Lopp purchased the mansion saw the greatest deterioration of the home. Sauer Castle is just a beautiful empty house that seems to beg for ghost stories to be attached to it. They have been on the government website for a while now with no auction date or starting bid, so we are unable to provide that information. Lopp bought the property next door and the duplex behind it on S. 10th St. She was so concerned when Carl let it get to the point that blue tarps were thrown over large spots. Yet seeing Carl dismiss a structure- the wine cellar- something just as old as the home the way that he did shot an arrow through my heart. No one would help him. google_ad_width = 728; He had plans of converting the mansion into a bed and breakfast, but as an absentee owner, the roof began to leak and windows were broken. Items stolen at this time included an antique chandelier, wall sconces, an antique dress, and a garden tractor. Debris covered the floor- a fireplace stands practically naked. Pritchard was using the land as a fruit farm when Sauer set his eyes for the first time on the property. It was just another legend. Her own mother, Eva had grown up inside its walls and wanted her daughters to spend time with Eva Marie Sauer Perkins, who they called Gross Mutter (German for Grandmother). At some point, the faade, literally and figuratively, will fall apart. A system of bells on wires could be rung from any room in the house and would signal the servants to the room they were needed. Is Sauer Castle in shambles as I wrote in the article? and is reputedly haunted. As more potential delinquent tax sales came and went with Carl Lopp paying the taxes and fines at the very last minutes, more extended family came into town to see their descendants castle on the hill. Hed dodge the property tax for three years the maximum allowed before the property was sold on the courthouse steps- then he would walk in days before the deadline and cut a check.