Grey Towers Castle is a building on the campus of Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. The castle was designed by Horace Trumbauer and built starting in 1893 as the estate of William Welsh Harrison. The university (then known as Beaver College and located in nearby Jenkintown) purchased the estate in 1929 for $712,500[1]. Classes were split between the two locations until 1962, when the school moved all of its operations to the Glenside area. The castle is a registered National Historic Landmark. Arcadia University is a private independent liberal arts university located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. ... Glenside is a census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City, the City that Loves You Back Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country State County United States Pennsylvania Philadelphia Founded Incorporated October 27, 1682 October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... Jenkintown is a borough located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, ten miles (16 km) north of Philadelphia. ... USS Constitution. ...

History

The beautifully architectured castle which was built by Horace Trumbauer in January of 1893 for William Welsh Harrison, whose previouse home on the grounds, Rosedale Hall, was burned to the ground in an inexplainable fire. Traumber created one of the most exquisite pieces of achitecture in all of Pennsylvania including The Art Museum of Philadelphia.

Harrison had the castle built for himself and his family, but unfortunatly his marriage relations took a turn for the worst. At the time divorce in the American culture was frowned upon by many and since Harrison was such an esteamed business man of the time, owning the Franklin Sugar Refinery, he was not able to seperate from his wife. She was very displeased with him and toward the end of their marriage it was said that Mr. Harrison used to have mistresses come to his side of the castle to stay in his famous Red Room.

William and his wife's problems just did not effect them, after a while the disfunctionality of the two started to take a toll on thier children causing some devistating effects. Their third child out of four was so emotionally distressed over his parents that he took his like by jumping off the balcony of his room on the fourth floor.

Harrison was the last one in his family to die in 1972. Many say that his faimly and his presences are still felt in and around the castle which was sold after Harrison died in 1972 to Beaver College whose name has now been changed to Arcadia University.