Thornewood Castle in Tacoma

Posted: 05.16.2021 | Updated: 02.12.2025

There are very few genuine castles in the United States, and only one on the West Coast. Thornewood Castle in Lakewood is a grandiose English Tudor Gothic-style mansion that sits right on American Lake. There aren’t many other castles in Washington State.

The sprawling estate brings images of spooky scenes from shows like The Haunting of Bly Manor. If you weren’t in the know, one would guess that it was actually filmed there. The castle was built in 1911 for Chester Thorne, who at the time was one of the wealthiest men in Washington State.

Is Thornewood Castle Haunted?

Over the course of a century, ghosts and spirits have made themselves cozy in the spacious mansion. The current residents often catch glimpses of parties and social gatherings, where early 20th century socialites are seen drinking, mingling, and occasionally break a wine glass. The scene is often compared to taking a step back in time.

The spirits of the Thornewood Castle also don’t like lights. They tend to blow out candles and unscrew lightbulbs when nobody’s looking. The owners often have to screw the lights back in, only to find that a different lightbulb has been removed. The ghosts of Chester and his wife Anna are both present in the building. Chester is most often seen in his second-floor bedroom, where he passed away.

Before we journey further into the depths of this castle, why not book a tour with Seattle Terrors? Embark on one of the most wicked and unforgettable Seattle ghost tours you’ll ever experience.

The Beautiful Thornewood Castle in Tacoma

In the early 20th century, Chester Thorne was one of the wealthiest men in Washington State. He founded the National Bank of Tacoma and helped fund the dredging of the city’s port. In 1908, looking to settle down, he bought a 100-acre plot of land near American Lake in what is now Lakewood. Mr. Thorne had plans for an exquisite mansion, one of the biggest on the West Coast.

Chester wanted his mansion to be as authentic as possible. He purchased a 400-year-old mansion in England and had it taken apart and shipped to Washington. It took a fleet of three ships sailing around Cape Horn to deliver the materials to the construction site. The oak staircase, front door, and oak paneling all came from the English estate. The red bricks were imported from Wales.

Around the estate grounds are numerous gardens, fountains, and sculptures. Stained glass salvaged from 15th and 16th-century churches can also be seen in some of the windows around the castle. The Thornewood Estate contains over 27,000 square feet of living space, including 54 rooms and 22 bathrooms.

Today, Thornewood is a historic site used for weddings, parties, and nightly rentals. It’s also often used for films and photoshoots. Stephen King’s TV series Rose Red was shot on the property.

The Thorne Family

Chester Thorne was known for his generosity. Though he had lavish parties and gatherings with the other wealthy denizens of Puget Sound, he was still a giver. Chester helped found Mount Rainier Park, helping to conserve the alpine forests around the mountain.

When Tacoma was hit with an economic depression in 1893, he donated money and supplies to those in need. He helped out his fellow citizens and expected nothing in return.

The Thornes lived a happy life with his wife Anna and their daughter Anita. The Thorne family lived in the home until Chester died in 1927. Anna took over the Thornewood Castle until her passing in 1954.

Who Owns the Thornewood Castle?

Anita lived in the castle with her second husband Major General David L. Stone, builder of the nearby Fort Lewis. In 1937, General Stone was transferred to the Panama Canal, taking Anita with him. Too lonely in the giant mansion without her husband, daughter and son-in-law, Anna Thorne moved to a smaller second home in Tacoma.

When the Stones eventually moved back to the Thornewood Castle, Anna returned with them. She passed away at the castle peacefully in 1954, giving ownership to Anita. General Stone passed 5 years later.

Anita sold the castle grounds to Harold St. John shortly after, who subdivided the land for 30 home sites. The property shifted hands throughout the decades until 1995 when Richard and Debbie Mirau purchased the castle with plans to renovate it back to splendor.

During their renovation efforts, they discovered an old bathroom barricaded with plywood as well as wishbone-shaped sticks hanging from the rafters of the basement. This was believed to be good-luck charms placed there by the Native American worksmen during the houses construction, as well as totems to protect against evil spirits.

The castle was once again sold to Deanna and Wayne Robinson in 2000, the current owners of the Washington State castle. The Robinsons operate the Thornewood Castle as an event venue and vacation getaway. You can book your stay on their website… just be wary of the spirits you may be boarding with!

Hauntings of the Thornewood Castle

The Thornewood Estate was said to be haunted long before the Robinsons moved in. However, they claim that the hauntings have increased steadily since 2002, coincidentally right after Rose Red aired. Unlike the way the mansion is depicted in the series Rose Red, the ghosts are far from evil, and not at all malevolent. They tend to be more on the melancholy side, if not outright mischievous.

The Robinsons claim that the most common encounter is the phantom party in the mansion’s great hall. Deanna says that one night while reading a book, the room suddenly lit up with the sounds and sights of a cocktail party. There were at least 100 people dancing, socializing, and drinking, and someone even dropped a glass.

Though the scene was hazy and ephemeral in nature, Deanna could still see it clearly. It was as if she stepped back in time, back to when the Thornes owned the house. She said that even though she owns the estate, she suddenly felt like an intruder, as if the ghosts were disturbed by her presence.

Thorne Family Spirits

Chester Thorne

The ghost of Chester Thorne is often seen around the estate. He’s mostly seen around his bedroom on the second floor, where he died of old age. Chester’s ghost is a residual, or a ghost that follows a routine. He always walks through the front door of his room, walks past the bed, and disappears into his restroom.

Chester’s ghost is also seen around the lawn and near the fountains around the property. The Robinsons say they’ve seen him on his horse, or standing in the lawn wearing horseback riding gear while holding a whip.

He doesn’t seem to like bright lights, so he tends to blow out candles and unscrew lightbulbs when he wants to dim the room. Deanna says she often has to relight the candles and fix the bulbs, only to come back into the room to find a different lightbulb unscrewed and the candles blown out once again. She puts the blame on Chester Thorne despite there being more than one spirit in the house.

Anna Thorne

Anna Thorne, Chester’s wife, can be seen in a second-story window overlooking the garden. She and Chester are occasionally seen locking arms at the top of the staircase, dressed as if they’re going to an event. They never move. They simply appear for a brief moment, then vanish.

Anna’s bedroom is one of the more haunted rooms in the house. Today, her room is often used for bridal parties during weddings, and guests claim to have seen Anna’s apparition in the room on multiple occasions. Mysterious dark shadows have also been seen moving around in the room. Those who spend the night in Anna’s room also claim to hear the sounds of a grand piano at night.

According to local historians, the Thornes enlisted the help of local Native tribespeople to help build the home. They placed wishbone-shaped amulets around the property and cast spells to spiritually protect the estate.

No word on whether or not it worked, but Deanna and other guests have claimed to see energy spirals around the property. They believe that they may be tied to the amulets and spells cast by the Indigenous construction workers.

Haunted Seattle

The Puget Sound is a beautiful region known for its rainforests, mountains, and waterfalls. It’s also chock full of ghosts! The gloomy skies and constant rain bring solemn spirits who spend their time sulking over their old lives.

If you want to see another beautiful piece of Washington architecture, look no further than the Georgetown Castle. It’s not a real castle like the Thornewood Estate, but it’s a grand house nonetheless. The Georgetown Castle is haunted by the sad spirits of a pimp and gambler named Peter Gessner. Sex workers, card games, suicide, murder, rape; it all happened at the Gessner Mansion.

This is just one of many spooky spots, check out the top ten most haunted spots in Seattle for more things to do and see while you’re in the city!

Looking for a haunted hotel in Seattle to stay at? Look no further than the most haunted hotels in Seattle!

Book with Seattle Terrors for an unforgettable ghost tour in Seattle. Follow our blog, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for more spooky places!

Sources:

• https://www.thornewoodcastle.com/about-the-castle
• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/wa-thornewoodcastle/
• https://www.ghostlyactivities.com/ghost-hunt-thornewood-castle-in-lakewood-washington/
• https://www.thornewoodcastle.com/chester-thorne
• https://www.historylink.org/File/5351
• https://www.thornewoodcastle.com/thornewood-sees-red
• https://occult-world.com/thornewood-castle/
• https://www.thornewoodcastle.com/native-wish-bones