Photos by Cheryl Landes

In November and December, volunteers decorate the Gillette Castle inside and out for the holidays. The 24-room mansion overlooking the Connecticut River Valley resembles a medieval-style castle. It’s the former home of William Gillette (1853-1937), an actor who made Sherlock Holmes famous.

The castle was closed for the 2020 holiday season due to COVID-19, so I will update this post when more information is available about plans for 2021. The pictures in this post are from my previous visits to the castle during the holidays.

Also check gillettecastlefriends.org/events for updates.

Gillette Castle State Park is located at 67 River Road in East Haddam, Connecticut (get directions). Admission is free, except for the castle tours. For more information, visit the park’s website.