HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
+ 1 further entry on record
Aberdeen's 'castle' home linked to Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum, with longtime ghost lore
1210 2nd Ave NW, Aberdeen, SD 57401
Research updated October 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Easton Castle is a private property. Public access is limited to special openings and events arranged with the owners, plus campground sites in the forest around the castle (O-TE-LA Camp), which are booked through Hipcamp. There is no walk-up museum admission.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-story historic home built in 1889–90, with stairs; surrounding residential grounds.
Equipment
Photos OK
On the National Register of Historic Places (1973) · Connection to L. Frank Baum and Aberdeen's Oz history · One of Aberdeen's landmark early homes
Aberdeen's so-called Easton Castle is a multi-room house built in 1889–90 as a green frame building and bricked over about 1904, one of the city's more elaborate early homes and noted for its turret and ornate detailing. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The National Register nomination describes New-Jacobean influence in its style, while Travel South Dakota calls the house a Queen Anne Victorian.
The house is tied to L. Frank Baum, who lived in Aberdeen from 1888 to 1891 and later wrote 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' Per South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Baum was a frequent guest at the house during his Aberdeen years, and local lore holds that the home's exterior was at one time painted green—fueling popular speculation that it helped inspire the Emerald City. That connection is folklore rather than documented authorial intent.
The ghost stories are associated with a later resident, Russell Easton (1884-1965), who lived in the house for years and became reclusive after his 1945 divorce. The property has had several owners and restorations since. Today it remains a private residence whose owners occasionally open it for events and offer lodging on the grounds.
Sources
According to South Dakota Public Broadcasting and the state tourism office, townspeople have long described Easton Castle as haunted. The reports are tied not to L. Frank Baum but to people who passed through the house as residents, guests, and employees.
The lore is said to have grown during the years Russell Easton lived in the house alone and reclusively. Two figures recur in the accounts: an early owner of the home, and a former housekeeper for the Eastons who is described as still tidying the house, something owners reportedly found baffling during early renovation work. Visitors and residents have also reported knocking sounds, footsteps, and unexplained cold spots throughout the home.
These are folklore and anecdote rather than documented occurrences, and the people named are treated here as part of the home's history. Because the castle is a private residence, any in-person visit must be arranged with the owners.
Notable Entities
Easton Castle is privately owned and not a regular walk-in attraction. The owners have opened it for events and Travel South Dakota says visitors can take a castle tour or spend a night inside the castle. Arrange any castle visit or stay directly with the owners and do not approach the residence uninvited; camping in the forest around the castle is listed separately.
Pitch a tent or park an RV at one of 25 sites in the 20-acre forest around the castle. Sites are booked through Hipcamp, which lists instant booking.
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