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Bonnyconnellan Castle - 1880
John
D. Loughlin, founder of the Sidney
School Furniture Company and the Mary L. Poultry Company, came to Sidney in 1880. He
purchased land for a new home (shown above) on November 17, 1884, for $5,000. Local
historians believe the home, built by Loughlin, was patterned after a castle, by the same
name, located in Cork, Ireland. Bonnyconnellan translates to "beautiful woman."
The home was constructed in 1885 and finished by 1886. It sits atop Walnut Avenue Hill and
affords a breathtaking view of Sidney, Ohio.
The castle contains 22 rooms, 4 bathrooms, and several long hallways.
Each downstairs room has different wood and a unique free standing staircase leads to the
second floor. A spiral staircase also leads from a second floor bedroom to the roof. There
is over 5,000 square feet of space in the brick and stone castle. A 30’ by 50’
carriage house sits behind the building. Each of the front turrets contains two rooms with
rounded windows and doors to match its contours. The front hallway is ornate with cherry
decor, gingerbread, mirrors, and a huge hand-crafted banister. Loughlin used hand-carved,
woodwork of walnut, mahogany, cherry and maple throughout the home. A suit of armor
nicknamed "Lancelot" stands guard at the front door.
Purchased by Kim and Dean Shepherd in June, 1996, the castle was formerly owned for 16
years by Tom and Vivian Jutte. The Juttes restored much of the building in the early 1980s
and the Shepherds are continuing that restoration work today. They operate this facility
as a bed and breakfast and an events center. NOTE: UPDATE ON STATUS OF HOME AS OF
FEBRUARY, 2000.
'Downtown'
segment written in October, 1998 by Sherrie
Casad-Lodge
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