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Wichita's Got a Castle
But, how did it get here?
Few sights in Wichita beg more questions than the towering, feudal-style mansion that stands watch over the Little Arkansas River. Its limestone walls and looming turret call the eye awkwardly, as if it were plucked from old-world Europe and planted haphazardly on the Kansas prairie.
One can easily find oneself asking — How the hell did that get here?
Well, it’s known as the Campbell Castle — or Morris Castle — or Crumm Castle — or The Castle Inn — and this is it's story.
Side — Of all the quotes I found while doing research, my favorite is probably this one: “It is the only castle-style home remaining from Wichita’s building boom of the 1880’s” (from the archives of the Kansas Preservation Alliance).
Apparently, we could have had many more castles, but people tore them down!
COLONEL “BARBEQUE” CAMPBELL
A Wealthy Cattleman
Wichita’s castle was built by Colonel Burton Harvey "Barbecue" Campbell, a man that happened to be about as interesting as the castle itself.
Campbell was born in 1829 in Erie, New York. In 1846, at the age of 17, he married his first wife, Anna, in Pennsylvania. The couple moved to New York City around 1850, where they had at least two children. Tragically, Anna passed away around 1863.
His activities in New York are not extensively detailed, but it is appears he had made a name for himself as, at the end of the Civil War in 1865, Campbell assisted the U.S. government by managing the business aspects of our Reconstruction efforts. His role involved buying properties and settling claims for war losses, which was crucial to rebuilding the Southern states after the devastation of the Civil War. This work earned him the honorific "Colonel” despite never having served in the military himself.
Campbell remarried in 1867 (and had three more children with his wife, Ellen) and eventually made his way to Illinois, where he started a cattle and livestock business. Then, in 1880, he moved the family further west to what would become Wichita.
Campbell established ranching operations in the disputed Cherokee Strip along the Kansas-Oklahoma border (this is where he earned his seconded nickname — "Barbecue" — as a reference to one of his cattle brands, “BQ”). Campbell was eventually evicted from the area due to disputes between the Cherokees and the federal government — though some sources suggest he was able to continue operations by working directly with the Cherokees.
Campbell’s big break came in 1885 when he was hired as the first general manager of the massive XIT Ranch in Texas. His tenure there, however, would be mired in scandal, according to historian J. Evetts Haley's account in his book the The XIT Ranch of Texas. Haley alleges that Campbell engaged in a web of fraud and mismanagement, including allowing his cowboys to rustle XIT cattle and brand them as their own. In that book, Campbell was described as “big-faced, overbearing, loud-mouthed, personally penurious and institutionally extravagant.”
Unsurprisingly, Campbell was eventually fired over the allegations, though not before apparently profiting handsomely from the purportedly nefarious practices. Taking his profits with him, he returned to Wichita.
Never one to rest, Campbell bounced back, establishing new ranch operations in Kansas and investing in enterprises like the Wichita Street Railway Company. It was during this period that he set out to build what would then be known as Campbell Castle.
Campbell's story would end on a somber note, with the death of a son in 1902, followed by the passing of his wife Ellen in 1907. Campbell himself would die in 1911 due to age and ill health on a trip to Mexico.
Given he lived so long ago, it is hard to judge whether or not Campbell was truly as fraudulent as the XIT Ranch owners claimed. Even if his morals weakend in business endeavours, a person’s life can be viewed from more than one perspective.
Inside the castle and with his family, who was Colonel Campbell? It’s best to ask a family member — one of his granddaughters remembered him this way:
My memory of Colonel B. H. Campbell is a picture I shall never forget.
It is of a gray haired, thin, distinguished-looking gentleman, sitting in a large handsome reading chair by the side of a very long, at least twelve feet long, library table, a handsome table in a room some twenty by thirty five feet, with ceiling about twelve or thirteen feet high, the walls lined with books on three sides from floor to ceiling, completely engrossed in his book that he was reading, never realizing that there was a soul near him.
I used to be told that at times he worked on a manuscript, as he was writing a history. And I was not alone in feeling a profound respect for the intellect of Colonel Burton Harvey Campbell.
SCOTTISH INSPIRATIONS
Building the Castle
Now, let’s turn to the castle itself.
The construction of Campbell Castle was inspired by Campbell's love for Scottish castles, particularly those he encountered on his travels — at least once in his life he traveled to Scotland to research potential cattle imports.
Construction started in 1886 and finished in 1888, with a total cost of approximately $90,000 — a significant sum at the time, equivalent to over $2 million today.
The exact designs were developed by architect Alfred Gould (I can’t find much about him), who imagined a structure that featured limestone blocks, turrets, and an impressive five-story tower. Campbell spared no expense in adorning his home with luxurious and historical pieces, including fireplaces, hand-carved fretwork, German-stained glass, and a 300-year-old staircase and arched dining room window imported from London.
It's worth noting that the construction of Campbell Castle occurred during a period of significant growth and development in Wichita. The late 19th century saw the city transform from a frontier settlement to a burgeoning urban center. The presence of successful businessmen like James R. Mead, William Greiffenstein, and Buffalo Bill Mathewson had already set the stage for commercial development in the area. (I will do biographies on these early founders in due time)
The Campbell Castle, with its European-inspired design and imported elements, would have represented a new level of sophistication — albeit maybe sophistication approaching gaudiness — in the growing city.
TRADING HANDS
Finding a Home
The Campbell family lived in the castle until 1910, after which it changed hands several times:
In 1910, it was purchased by Walter Morris.
Walter Morris was a prominent figure in Wichita, known for his contributions to the city's real estate development and growth.
He was born in 1860 and moved to Wichita from Sabina, Ohio, in 1888. Upon arrival, he established Walter Morris & Son Real Estate, LLC, which later became known as Walter Morris Companies (which still operates today).
His developments include Sleepy Hollow, Lincoln Heights, Crown Heights, Roosevelt Field and Lincoln Heights Village.
In 1960, the castle was sold to Maye Crumm, who renamed it Crumm Castle.
During her tenure, it served as a private school known as Belle Carter High School, which was held in the Crumm Castle itself. (I can’t find much online about this school — if you have any stories or information to share, I would appreciate hearing them! I would also share it in a future email.)
Mrs. Crumm passed away in 2005 at the age of 92.
In 1994, Terry and Paula Lowry acquired the property for $300,000
They invested over $2 million in renovations to restore it and transformed it into a bed-and-breakfast called The Castle Inn Riverside
The property is no longer an active bed-and-breakfast
As of today, I believe the castle is someone’s home. It was recently listed for sale and no longer is available for showings — but I cannot confirm if it was sold or not.
And there we have it — the story of Wichita’s only castle!
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The Wichita Weekly
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