William E. Ward House, Gothic Revival residence in Rye Brook, United States.
The William E. Ward House is a two-story residence with a mansard roof and a four-story crenellated tower overlooking the Byram River. The structure was built entirely from reinforced concrete, a material that was completely novel for residential construction at that time.
Built between 1873 and 1876, this house marks the beginning of reinforced concrete construction in America, using approximately 4,000 barrels of Portland cement. This construction proved that the new material was robust and durable enough to support a large residential building.
Local residents initially called the building Ward's Folly because of its experimental construction method, later changing their view to Ward's Castle. The community came to see it as a symbol of bold innovation and engineering confidence.
The property spans 8 acres (3.2 hectares) and sits on the New York-Connecticut border, with most of the land positioned near Route 120A in Connecticut. Visitors should be aware that the grounds are divided between two states, so planning your approach carefully is important.
The owner conducted a dramatic loading test by placing 26 tons of weight on the floor to verify the structure's strength. The floor deflected by less than one hundredth of an inch, demonstrating the material's extraordinary durability.
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