Joanna Gaines Gives Fans a Peek Inside the Gorgeous Stone Castle She and Chip Will Be Renovating
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In case you missed it, Chip and Joanna Gaines purchased a 6,700-square-foot castle back in 2019. Yes, a literal castle. More specifically, Waco's historic Cottonland Castle at 3300 Austin Avenue. Now, over two years later, the couple is finally gearing up to renovate this gorgeous stone fortress.
Joanna took to her Instagram Story this week to share a few photos from the castle. "Starting soon on this beauty," she captioned one of the shots. While the dated interiors definitely need some TLC, the castle's true beauty still shines through. You can take a peek of what it currently looks like below and read on to learn more.
What's the History Behind the Castle?
According to Waco History, Cottonland Castle was originally built by local stone contractor John Tennant as a home for himself before his financial situation forced him to sell the unframed house to Ripley Hanrick, a cotton broker, in 1906 with an agreement that Tennant would continue doing the stonework for the home.
By 1908, however, the two abandoned the home due to ongoing financial problems. Eventually, businessman Alfred Abeel purchased the home and hired Roy E. Lane to transform and complete the frame as a castle by 1913 to use as his residence.
After the castle was complete, it changed owners many times between the early 1940s and 2000s before it fell into disrepair. Most recently in 2014, Dirk Obbink, Tom Lupfer Jr, and Sterling Johnson were said to have begun the process of renovating the castle, but it was never completed. Now Chip and Joanna will breathe new life into it.
The couple admired the property for quite some time and had even made past attempts to purchase it, a Magnolia Realty spokesperson revealed in a statement in February 2019. "The property is an iconic piece of Waco’s history, and while specific plans have not yet been determined, one thing is for certain: Their efforts will focus on fully completing the home’s long overdue and well-deserved restoration.”
The Original Castle Featured Incredible Accents.
The Cottonland Castle was modeled after a small German castle near the Rhine River with white sandstone and some limestone on the exterior. Inside, Lane's three-story castle with a basement included eight fireplaces (yes, eight), a servants' quarters, and a tower—because how could it be a true castle without a tower?! Waco History also mentions the variation of beautiful interior accents in every room, "including imported materials such as Caen stone from France, Carrara marble from Italy, and Honduran mahogany paneling."
This article was originally published on 02/25/19. It has been updated to reflect new information.
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