Yesterday my husband and I went on a one day excursion to visit Curwood Castle. Haven’t heard of it you say? Not surprised – either had we and we’ve lived in Michigan all our lives! About an hour away sits a beautiful little castle on the banks of the Shiawasee river. It was the writing studio of James Oliver Curwood who wrote many wildlife adventure stories in the 1920’s. Several of his books were made into movies including Kazan, The Grizzly King, and Nomads of the North.
As soon as I entered the castle I thought it would make a wonderful home, with views along the river and big high ceilings with dark wood beams, and a stone fireplace at one end. Up in the turret, the clean white walls and windows over the river made me want to stay and…well…write! What a wonderful place it must have been for him. 
Sadly, Curwood died young at 49 from a blood disease brought on by a spider bite incurred during a fishing trip in Florida. I’m going to check whether or not our library has any of his books. After being in his space it would be interesting to read one or two.
Hope you are all having a lovely Labor Day weekend..without working too hard!
Change Is Hard 
September 7, 2009 at 11:57 am
It does look like a great place to live. Diana
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September 7, 2009 at 2:02 pm
What a cool place. Looks like a storybook house itself…for some reason I can just imagine elegant swans swimming by.
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September 7, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I only remember reading two of his books: Baree, Son of Kazan (first) and then Kazan the Wolf Dog. I was TOTALLY into dog books while growing up, and I still am. Thanks, Dawn, for reviving the memories of childhood. 🙂
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September 8, 2009 at 5:58 am
That is a really neat place – love the second photo! Too bad Curwood didn’t live longer to enjoy it longer.
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September 8, 2009 at 7:47 am
How cute is that, a little mini castle. Not sure about the yellow coloring, it sort of looks like a decorated cake…..but wouldn’t it be just the coolest place to live and that garden and rivers……imagine waking up in the morning and hearing the birds singing ….chuckles – you could throw a fishing line out the window and catch supper!!!!
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September 8, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I love visiting places like this when visiting out of town anywhere. (Of course, in san jose, I haven’t been to MOST of the old homes of this ilk. Because I can do it “any time.”) Looked up Curwood Castle on wikipedia. Not a lot there, but interesting to note that it was built without sleeping or eating places because it was strictly a writing studio.
Seems to me that almost everyone who builds their fantasy house dies not long after building it. Maybe it takes that long to accrue the $$ and the understanding of what you really want. Sigh.
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September 9, 2009 at 8:06 am
Maybe that’s what I need to finish my book! Do they rent it out???
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September 9, 2009 at 9:46 am
I don’t think they rent it out…but then again, maybe they’d LIKE to have a writer in residence! No kitchen, no bedroom….visitors all times of the day…probably not exactly like it was for him…
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October 9, 2010 at 11:18 am
Thank you for sharing this, Dawn. I didn’t know he lived down there in the Lower. I thought he lived up here all the time. This must have been his “cabin in the woods”. Thank you! Would love to see it some day.
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