Ripley's oldest Odditorium, located in the Castle Warden, was purchased shortly after his death in 1949 and opened in 1950. Prior to becoming home to Ripley's vast collections from his many travels, "The Castle" as it is known, was once a hotel which played host to many famous guests, including Ripley himself and author/owner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. "The Castle" was originally a Moorish Revival style mansion, built in 1887 by millionaire William Warden as a winter home. The popularity and success of this museum led Ripley's associates to open new establishments throughout the United States and the world. But "The Castle" remains the permanent home of Ripley's personal collections and is the flagship of the Odditoriums. Perhaps not surprisingly, it is also rumored to be haunted. Segments of the most recent Ripley's TV series were filmed here, including the opening credits.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ripley's Believe It or Not!".

GiveMeAmerica recognizes Ripley's Believe It or Not! as one the Top Attractions in the Greater St. Augustine Area!

For more information about the St. Augustine area, visit GiveMeStAugustine.com

Ripley's Believe It or Not!