The historic Heublein Tower in Simsbury, Connecticut

One day, in the years after the turn of the 20th century but before the outbreak of World War I, German-born businessman Gilbert Heublein was hiking in the Connecticut woods with his fiancé. As they stood atop Talcott Mountain on the border between the towns of Avon and Simsbury, Gilbert promised Louise that he'd build her a castle on that very spot. Heublein had the means. He'd made a fortune in the hotel business, and importing food and beverages - notably A-1 Steak Sauce and Smirnoff vodka.

In 1914, Heublein made good on his promise, building a summer home complete with a six-story tower at the peak of the stone ridge overlooking Connecticut's Farmington Valley. The 165-foot tower, modeled after the architecture of Heublein's native Bavaria, was designed to withstand 100-mile-per-hour winds.

For decades, the Heublein family made the house at the peak of the 1000-foot high mountain its summer retreat. At the top of the tower is a grand ballroom, where the family held lavish parties. It was here, at a more subdued Heublein Tower party, where history was made in the 1950s, when notable Republicans, including Connecticut Senator Prescott Bush - father and grandfather to two US Presidents - convinced General Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for president as a member of the GOP.



Today, the Heublein Tower is owned and managed by the state of Connecticut's Department of Environment Protection. A quarter century ago, a group called Friends of the Heublein Tower was formed to assist in the restoration and upkeep of the home, which operates as a museum and educational center.

The tower sits at the center of a 350-acre site that is part of Talcott Mountain State Park. Visitors can climb the 110 steps to the former grand ballroom on the uppermost observation level. From here, the view is spectacular, taking in parts of six states - from New Hamshire's Mount Monadnock to the northeast, the rolling Berkshire Mountains to the west, and even New York's Long Island to the south.

The 165-foot Heublein Tower, in Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, is a very notable Connecticut landmark which provides spectacular views of Hartford and the Farmington River Valley. It was built as a residence for Gilbert Heublein, a food and drink magnate and manufacturer of A1 Steak Sauce, and was modeled on castles in his native Bavaria. In 1875, a young Heublein was hiking on the mountain with his fiancee and said, ”Someday Louise, I’m going to build you a castle on this mountain.” The Tower, constructed to withstand 100 MPH winds, was designed by Smith and Bassette and built by T. R. Fox and Son in 1914. The rest of the residence was added around 1925. The tower later opened to the public as part of the state park and many visitors hike up to visit it each year. There have been a number of restorations of the building, most recently through the efforts of the Friends of Heublein Tower.