Castle Gould - Sands Point Preserve

A Brief History: Castle Gould is located at Sands Point Preserve 127 Middle Neck Road Sand Point New York. In 1900 and 1901 Howard Gould and his wife, actress Katherine Clemmons, purchased the property where Castle Gould would be built. It would be the first of four mansions built here, designed by architect Augustus N. Allen in 1902 and modeled after Ireland’s Kilkenny Castle. The castle was completed in 1904 at 100,000 square feet this limestone building was intended to be the main residence on the estate, but when Katherine decided that the castle was too large, Howard proceeded to build Hempstead House. Castle Gould was then used as the stable, carriage house, and servants’ quarters and now houses the Visitor Center, Great Hall, and a 7,000-square-foot New York State certified sound stage a.k.a. The Black Box.

Beneath the castle’s massive clock tower there is a rotunda that leads to the Great Hall. The hall is often used for private events, the space is a fully renovated multi-purpose room with wrought-iron chandeliers, plush draperies over huge windows overlooking the grounds with a distant view of the Long Island Sound.

Castle Gould is not open for tours, but the Welcome Center, Gift Shop and rest rooms are located under the clock tower. Fitness classes, nature programs and cultural events take place inside its Great Hall.

Haunted History: Visitors that have visited the mansion have claimed to feel cold spots and feelings of being watched. There have also been claims of seeing a woman in white walk down the hallway and then disappear. Paranormal investigators believe that because the mansion is made of limestone that there may be residual energy left behind at the mansion.