Tag Archives: Octagon Castle

Newfoundland architecture: From the Octagon Castle to the Fogo Island Inn

Archival Moment

August 18, 1898

Photo Credit: The Rooms Provincial Archives. E 19 - 31. Octagon Castle, Topsaiil.

Photo Credit: The Rooms Provincial Archives. E 19 – 31. Octagon Castle, Topsail.

The world press  has in recent years been  fascinated by the construction and opening of the Fogo Island Inn, a milestone in the work of The Shorefast Foundation and its founder, visionary Zita Cobb. Following a successful career in the high technology industry, Cobb returned to Fogo Island, her birthplace, to invest millions.

In August 1898, the world press was fascinated by the Octagon Castle, Topsail.

Travel writers have throughout history made their way to Newfoundland and Labrador to comment on this place, governments over the years have been actively courting travel writers as part of their tourism strategy.

In 1898 there was much excitement with the news that J.C. Baker, the Art Editor of “The World”, was in travelling in Newfoundland and he was keen to write about this place.  In particular Baker was fascinated by Octagon Castle and its owner Professor Charles Danielle.

Baker wrote to Danielle to ask that he:

“Send me details on how and why you took up your life on the borders of that delightful lake, (Rocky Pond, Topsail) in the solitude of the wilderness; I think it would make an interesting article …”

“The World”  was at the time the most successful of the New York newspapers. In 1898 it was under the direction of Joseph Pulitzer who was in an aggressive era of circulation building. In 1896, the World began using a four-color printing press; it was the first newspaper to launch a color supplement.

Professor Danielle was excited about the possibility, J.C. Baker was requesting:

“Photos of yourself at present, and some of the old ones in costume, together with photos of Octagon castle exterior and interior?”

The local press, the Evening Telegram  was reporting:

“When a journal like the New York World, with a circulation of over 700,000, thinks it’s worthwhile to illustrate and publish the Professor’s enterprise, the latter must surely be a live man, and the Octagon, a most remarkable place…”

It was indeed a remarkable place.

Professor Danielle had previous to the Octagon Castle been best known for another building that he constructed the Oriental Palace, built on the north bank of Quidi Vidi in 1893. Although he named it the Royal Pavilion, in newspaper advertisement he described it as the “Magnificent Oriental Palace.” Its interior was decorated in oriental style.  Its ballroom accommodated 1,500 people; the kitchen had four large ranges and as his advertising said.

“The attendants will be attired in oriental costumes and in harmony with the general surroundings — that none but Danielle’s has ever yet gladdened the eyes of Newfoundland with.”

It appears that Professor Danielle had a difficult relationship with his landlord (Mr. Joe Ross) at Quidi Vidi and in a fit of anger disassembled the Palace, board by board and had it carted to Rocky Pond, now called Octagon Pond.  There, he reassembled the palace in octagon style and named it Octagon Castle. The castle was envisioned as a restaurant and resort. The main building was a true octagon shape, with eight sides. It was four stories in height, covered 3,750 square feet of land and enclosed 10, 880 square feet of floor space.

Octagon Castle soon became a popular resort for the pleasure-loving public of St John’s. Societies and clubs held their picnics there, and on holidays hundreds of excursionists flocked to the castle to enjoy the boating and other amenities. Once a year Danielle provided a day’s outing for orphans from the city. To publicize the place he issued pamphlets describing its attractions and even included a list of “don’ts” to prospective clients.

“Don’t bring flasks in your pockets; the Professor keeps Strang’s, Bennett’s, and Gaden’s best. . . . Don’t bring any growlers with you; they keep me awake nights. . . . I want to implore patrons again not to bring flasks and bottles with them, and break them around the grounds. I have buried broken bottles until I can’t get a whole angle worm to catch a trout, they are all cut up in bits.”

Many stories have grown up around the proprietor of the Octagon Castle. One describes him lamenting the state of his health early in May 1901 and predicting that in a year he would “be no more.” Exactly a year later he died.

Octagon Castle was destroyed by fire in 1915.

New – Old Word: Growler, a container (as a can or pitcher) for beer bought by the measure.

Recommended Archival Collection: Search the online database for descriptions of archival records at the Rooms and  view thousands of digital photographs. Click the image to begin your search.  https://www.therooms.ca/collections-research/our-collections

Recommended Reading:  Dictionary of Canadian Biography: http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=6657&terms=created

Recommended corner of the World:   Find yourself in one of the four corners of the earth: http://www.fogoislandinn.ca/

Fire destroys Newfoundland landmark

Archival Moment

February 24, 1915

Photo Credit: The Rooms Provincial Archives. E 19 – 31. Octagon Castle, Topsail

Photo Credit: The Rooms Provincial Archives. E 19 – 31. Octagon Castle, Topsail

A celebrated architectural feature on the Newfoundland landscape, known locally as the ‘Octagon Castle’,  was destoyed by fire , on February 24, 1915. The St. John’s newspaper the Evening Telegram reported:

“… the Octagon Hotel … was completely destroyed by fire the cause of which is attributed to a defective chimney, … “

Built by the eccentric “Professor” Charles Danielle in 1896 the “castle”   was built in octagon style (eight sides) and named the Octagon Castle. The castle was envisioned as a restaurant and resort. It was four stories in height, covered 3,750 square feet of land and enclosed 10, 880 square feet of floor space.

Octagon Castle soon became a popular resort for the pleasure-loving public of St John’s. Societies and clubs held their picnics there, and on holidays hundreds of excursionists flocked to the castle to enjoy the boating and other amenities.

It reached the height of its popularity in 1898 with the prestigious journal the New York World featuring the Castle in an article. The local St. John’s newspaper reported:

“When a journal like the New York World, with a circulation of over 700,000, thinks it’s (Octagon Castle) worthwhile to illustrate and publish the Professor’s enterprise, the latter must surely be a live man, and the Octagon, a most remarkable place…”

Known for his ‘big personality’ Danielle who was born in Baltimore, MD, died at his beloved Octagon Castle in May 1902. The man who laid claim to being a dancing teacher, costume maker, restaurateur, and resort owner was buried as he requested in a glass coffin in a complex and carefully-orchestrated ceremony.

Following his death the fortunes of the Castle diminished. Its success lay on the shoulders of the good Professor; his successor Mr. Poole did not have the same appeal.

Reporting on the fire The Evening Telegram reported:

“Mr. Poole the proprietor of the place visited the hotel which had been unoccupied since last fall and lighted a fire in the kitchen stove. He then went down to the ice house some 200 yards distant to inspect the winter’s cut of ice and upon his return noticed smoke issuing from the roof. He hurried to the scene but the house was filled with smoke and he was obliged to retreat, no water being at hand the flames spread rapidly and in less than an hour the building and most of its contents were consumed. All the bedding linen and other furnishings were destroyed as well as a piano that was in the ballroom the latter was insured for $250 but the other furnishings were not insured and the loss to Mr Poole is estimated at about $500 the building was owned by Mr. Fowlow of Trinity and was we understand insured.”

Archival Collection: The Rooms Provincial Archives is home to a small collection of photographs that show exterior and interior views of the Octagon Castle including a photograph of Professor Danielle’s coffin which was on display at Octagon Castle with “full instructions to be followed immediately after my death”.

Recommended Reading: Dictionary of Canadian Biography: http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=6657&terms=created

 

 

“Their wails of distress … would melt the heart…”

Archival Moment

February 27, 1896

Octagon Castle, Octagon Pond, Topsail Road, Paradise

Octagon Castle, Octagon Pond, Topsail Road, Paradise

For many of our ancestors the family cow  was essential.  Having a cow often  was the difference between success and destitution.

On February 26, 1896, Michael Farrell, his wife and eight children were devastated by the news that “an engine (train) with a snow plow ran over and killed two valuable cows.”   The animals “were almost the sole support of the poor family.”

The death of the cows was most traumatic on the children and Mrs. Farrell.   Professor Charles Danielle,  a neighbor who lived in the Octagon Castle, Irvine Station  who was a witness to the horrendous accident wrote:

“Two of them (little girls) were trying to drive the cows from the track when the killing occurred  and their screams and that of the distressed mother when she arrived at the scene threw herself upon the body of the cow that was not killed outright … “

So traumatized was the family that:

“their wails of distress have continued … far into the night, and would melt the heart, to pity and charity of anyone that has a heart to feel in a case of such keen edged distress.”

The purpose of the letter by Professor Danielle, known about St. John’s as a well-established dancing teacher, costume maker, restaurateur, and resort owner was to help out the destitute family, financially. He wrote:

“I appeal to your influential journal (The Evening Telegram)  to the kind hearted people of St. John’s to help replace these bread winners (the two cows) by sending merciful aid to me through the Editor of this paper, and I will see that the amount is employed in replacing the cows as far as possible, with an acknowledgement of each amount.  I donate two dollars. Come friends and citizens; help me in this distressing case.”

There is no response to the letter but it can be assumed that the “very eccentric owner of Octagon Castle” must have gotten some positive response.

Octagon Castle at the time was a popular resort for “the pleasure-loving public of St John’s.”  No doubt Professor Danielle would have encouraged the many societies and clubs that held their picnics on his grounds and the hundreds of excursionists who  flocked to Octagon Castle to enjoy the boating and other amenities to support his neighours the  Farrell’s.  The Octagon Castle disappeared in a fire in 1915.

The Farrell Family continues to live on  in the area.

Recommended Reading:  Dictionary of Canadian Biography:  http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=6657&terms=created

Recommended Song: A Ballad by Johnny Burke: http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/29/lines.htm