Highlands Castle — A father’s promise to his son

John Lavender II promised his son they would one day live in a castle one day and he delivered in a big way with not one, but three castles.

The property now forms Highlands Castle on Lake George, New York and you can even visit it yourself through Airbnb.

In 1978, Lavender promised his three-year-old son he would build him a castle one day.

Lavender said he bought the land in 1982 to build the incredible three castles but kept it secret from his son for decades while the buildings were being constructed.

Between the three buildings, they can sleep 21 people, or you can rent each one individually through the Highlands Castle website or Airbnb.

When Lavender promised his son he would build the castle, he was living in a share-house with five other men in New York.

“It wasn’t an environment to raise a three-year-old. “I took him aside and shared with him, this is not our home, this is temporary,” Lavender said.

“I made the promise and I said I’m going to show my son that if I speak words to him, I’ll follow through no matter what it takes,” he added.

Lavender designed and built the three mini castles almost entirely by himself, despite having no experience in architectural design or construction.

He spent years designing the castles bit by bit, receiving help from friends and a couple of experts. He even went as far as to map out the blueprints himself.

He was essentially drawing as he went, he said, adding two or three walls at a time.

The final construction was helped along by friends and his family, who he finally told about the project. His son’s football team even chipped in to help.

Jason, Lavender’s son, went on to earn a five-year architectural engineering degree to help his dad. He said that while he knew his dad would eventually build him a castle, he didn’t expect to have to help out.

The home was a private residence for many years until Lavender was redoing the roof on the main castle in 2008 when he fell backward off a ladder.

He shattered his leg in 20 places and was found by his wife, Yvonne, who he married at the property in 1992. He spent eight months confined to a wheelchair and decided it was time to open Highland Castle up to the public.

Lavender and Yvonne still live on the property, but his son Jason now has a home with his own family.

Ultimately, while Lavender plans to keep renting the properties out, he wants to keep them in the family.

“My fantasy would be to have my son inherit the property and my grandson and granddaughter to be hereafter that,” Lavender said.

Source: Agencies