Harvard's RavenStone Castle evolves as tourist attraction, hosts Christmas faire

It might seem like an odd addition to the farm fields on the edge of Harvard, but there it stands – a 16th century style castle with turrets upon towers, sweeping archways and a fountain.

Ask Terry Michel her role there, and she shrugs. “Cinderella?” she adds with a laugh.

Michel has evolved into the castle’s tour guide and party host and taken up other duties as what started out as a dream home for her in-laws, Jose and Rose Michel, has turned into a tourist attraction.

With Jose and Rose’s vision, the family – including four sons and a daughter – broke ground on RavenStone Castle in 2001, with Rose personally designing each room and her children helping to build the castle from the ground up.

“The thing that’s special about this place is the family built it,” Terry Michel said. “That’s what took it so long. If you’re going to ask when it was completed, it’s not complete yet.”

To build, the family rented equipment, excavated the basement and poured concrete. While framing the roof, they could see all the way to the grocery store in Harvard. These days, they look around and see projects yet to do.

Others see so much it would take days to take it all in – a queen’s throne, suits of armor, chandeliers, hand-made draperies, antiques galore and unique tapestries of all sorts created personally by Rose, who still lives in the castle with her husband.

She sells many of her tapestries at renaissance and craft fairs, and always has loved traveling to Europe.

“But if you want to buy a castle in Europe, it’s expensive,” Terry Michel said. “What’s your next best bet? You build your own.”

That’s what the couple did, with the idea for a bed and breakfast in the back of Rose’s mind. The bed and breakfast, featuring several rooms with their own spa bathtubs and hand-made bedding, opened in 2008 with four themed rooms – the Egyptian Room, the King Arthur Room, the Queen Elizabeth Room and a Unicorn Room, based on “The Lady and the Unicorn” series of tapestries woven in the 1500s and considered one of the greatest works of art of the Middle Ages.

From there, “The rest just kind of happened,” Terry Michel said.

[ PHOTOS: McHenry County's very own castle, RavenStone B&B hosting Christmas faire ]

People driving by the castle would stop by, hoping to get a closer look. “What is this?” they’d asked.

Some would leave notes suggesting the family host birthday parties, tea parties weddings, scouting events, Renaissance-themed activities, Red Hat Society outings, anything and everything.

And so, bit by bit, the castle has hosted smaller events, birthday parties for up to 10 children at a cost of $250 – with Terry Michel dressing in a queen’s dress and the birthday girl given a tiara as she unwraps presents sitting in the royal chair – and other events for groups of no more than 30 or so.

“I do all the clean-up and the cake and the ice cream,” Terry Michel said of the birthday parties. “All they do is come and enjoy.”

Four times a year, the family hosts fairs, with a Christmas Art & Craft Faire scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 11-13 at the castle.

Along with Rose’s European tapestries and other creations, the event will include castle tours, holiday decor, jewelry, essential oils, fudge and musical performances.

“It’s just something because we’re here,” Terry Michel said.

The fairs often draw fans of the Renaissance period, while others come out of curiosity. Same goes for the bed and breakfast, which attracts people from throughout the country, including those in McHenry County looking for a weekend get-away.

“You feel like you’re thousands of miles away,” Terry Michel said.

CHRISTMAS ART & CRAFT FAIRE

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 11-13

WHERE: RavenStone Castle, 4504 Route 23, Harvard

COST & INFO: Featuring European wall tapestries, bell pulls, pillows and other holiday decor. Land of Kush Gargoyles, vintage jewelry, Arbonne (Saturday only), essential oils and fresh fudge also will be for sale. Musical performance include Court & Country at 2 p.m. and zither player Kurt Von Eckroth at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tours of the castle will be available for $6 an adult. Information: 815-934-5764 or www.ravenstonecastle.com.