The Castle-on-the-Lake – A 1966 View

The Castle-on-the-Lake has been a favorite topic on this blog since its beginning.

Many of us have fond memories of it during its heyday, when it had its original medieval theme. My sister remembers Grandma and Grandpa taking her to dinner there a few times. when she was just a little girl. "I had a Shirley Temple and it had a little animal holding the cherry, " she reminisced recently. "I still have it – I think it was a monkey."

I remember back in high school going to the Castle with a date along with a few other couples, right before our music formal. And I had my rehearsal dinner there as well, like a true Lorainite.

(You can revisit my past Castle posts – all 17 of them – here. That includes the 1941 Grand Opening of the Castle-on-the-Lake as a dinner-dance club here, and a 1952 Sixth Anniversary ad here.)

So while some major cities have a Medieval Times dinner attraction (with a jousting tournament for entertainment), Lorain had a real castle that provided a unique setting for a special event.

Recently eBay had a photograph of the Castle that I've never seen before. It's dated June 17, 1966 and is from the Cleveland Plain Dealer archives.

It's a great, moody shot.

For contrast, here's a recent photo from April 2024.

The Castle has been home to quite a variety of businesses in the last thirty or forty years, including a few buffets and several Mexican restaurants. Here's hoping Papasitos and Beer Mexican Grill, the current occupant, enjoys success.