Benjamin Ames Kimball

Two companies bid on Castle.

GILFORD - The vacant Kimball Castle built by a wealthy businessman could become a bed-and-breakfast inn or a museum.

Those uses have been proposed by the two companies that bid on the 2,500-square-foot medieval-style building.  Selectmen now must review the offers.

Bidding ended Monday.  Town Administrator David Caron said the John A. Andrews Co. of Sterling Va., bid $41,000 and Waterloom Studios in Sanbornton offered $1,000.

Caron said Andrews flew to New Hampshire to look at the castle Monday.  He said Andrews, whose company develops real estate, would turn the castle into a bed and breakfast.

Caron said among other things, Waterloom Studios restores old buildings.  He said the company would like to make the castle into some sort of museum.

Selectmen were to discuss the bids today.  Caron said the board either will accept a bid, negotiate with both bidders, reject the bids and re-advertise or extend the bidding.

The castle, built by Concord businessman Benjamin Ames Kimball, has been vacant for 30 years.  Vandals and nature have taken their toll and an engineer says it will take $450,000 to restore it.

©2004 Peter K Kimball