• Corpus ID: 190460664

The Enigma of Coral Castle

@inproceedings{Stansfield2006TheEO,
  title={The Enigma of Coral Castle},
  author={William D. Stansfield},
  year={2006}
}

• W. Stansfield
• Published 2006
• History

THERE IS A CASTLE NEAR ML\MI, FLORIDA, made entirely of huge blocks of limestone. It is claimed that a single man built it alone, using only simple hand tools,' The man's name was Fdward I^edskalnin (1887-1951). Bom in Latvia, he received only a tliird or fourtli grade education, 'When Fd was 28-years old, he became engaged to many a l6-year old girl named Agnes Scuffs tSkuvst). whom he called his "Sweet Sixteen." The day before their schedtiled wedding, howev­ er, Agnes told Fd that he was too pcx)r and too old for her to marry. Heart-broken, Ed sailed to the New World and worked hLs way thiough Canada, down into California, east to Texas. finally' airiv̂ ing in southern Florid;t sometitne between 1918 and 1920. Althotigh Ed was just over five feet tall and weighed alx)Lit 100 pounds he worked in lumber camps and on at least one cattle drive along tbe way. Sĉ metime during his travels he developed a touch of tuberculosis and decided that Florida's sunny climate would be gcxxi for his healtli. He settled down in tlie little town of Florida City, located alxjut 27 miles southwest of Miami, There he began to build a coral castle as a tribute to his Sweet Sixteen, Tlie site was first opened to the public in 1923. It took about twenty years to complete most of the castle structures existing today. How Fd supported himself and paid for the land, tools, and other items for building the castle until it was ready for paying visitors has not been explained, but it is certainly an importitnt part of the mystery. One source says tliat a neiglilxir let liim build his original castle on borrowed propertyin Florida City;̂ another claims he bought an acre there,-̂ When I purchased a 20-niinute video tour of Coral Castle from tbe oLstle gift shop. I received gratis an "EnglLsh Tour Guide" Ed Leedskatnin seated on a castle stone.