Reinforced concrete was still an emerging building method in the early 1900s. Archaeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, saw its potential for an unusual castle that could showcase his collections of tiles and prints. He began building Fonthill in 1908, when he was 51. The project continued through 1912, although the main structure was enclosed by 1910 and finishing work continued afterwards, according to the Society of Architectural Historians . The concrete was mixed by hand by a crew working under Mercer’s direction, while a horse named Lucy helped lift loads to upper levels.
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