Knox - Cassidy Castle and Camp Lovejoy

Camp Lovejoy and Cassidy Castle

While driving past the Schenectady Boys Club recently a large sign caught my eye – “Applications now being taken for Camp Lovejoy." As I continued on my way I started to think about the children who have the opportunity to spend part of the warm summer in our beautiful Helderbergs, but also thought back to the castle on Old Stage Road.

Camp Lovejoy is the site of Cassidy's Castle. The "Castle" was built in 1891 for Edward Cassidy, an Albany architect and artist, by his mother. Mr. Cassidy had greatly admired the French chateaus on his many visits there.

The house, built of timber and fossil rock, with a glass turret and of ancient architecture, became known from coast to coast, but has fallen to ruin over the years and only part of one wall is now visible. A painting of the castle can be seen at the Altamont Library.

The property was later sold to Mrs. Harriet Christie of Camp Pinnacle. Mrs. Christie later sold the property to the Salvation Army for use as a Fresh Air camp and it now belongs to the Schenectady Boys Club, which still uses several of the original buildings of the Cassidy estate. Many of the children who spend their summer here come to the camp feeling lost and alone but return to the city with new friends and skills.

— Ann Whipple

Altamont Enterprise – June 16, 1983

• 

  Cassidy Castle -Altamont Enterprise – June 16, 1983