In 1846 the town of Brumley, Missouri was a thriving community. With a town population of 120 people and a large supporting community, the town maintained three private schools, a large public school, five mercantile stores, two hotels, blacksmith shops, a weekly postal service, a stagecoach stop, hat shops, dress stores, and saw and grain mills.
Initially, Brumley was known as New Virginia because many of the families who settled in the area were from that part of the country. It wasn’t until 1876 that Brumley was incorporated and given its current name. Three rivers including the Glaize converged below the town. Most items needed for commerce in Brumley arrived by paddle boat down the river, such as vegetables, nuts, fruit, livestock, and lumber. The demise of Brumley began with the construction of the Bagnell Dam in 1932. The Bagnell Dam lowered the river levels which made shipping down the rivers an impossibility, which eventually shut down all mercantilism in Brumley.
In 1846, Dr. Walter and Martha Dixon were well known in the community. The Dixon’s were quite wealthy and affluent in Miller County and owned a large tract of land around where the current day Castle House stands. In the Spring of that same year, the Dixon’s set sail for London, England. While there, Dr. Dixon learned that large Manor homes were being built out of stone and solid concrete. Dr. Dixon was so impressed with this new concept of material for a home that he decided to build one upon his return to Brumley, Mo. Not only did he decide to build a concrete home, he also fell in love with a beautiful staircase in the Manor of the house he and his wife were staying in London.
When it was finished, the home stood as one of the largest, most beautiful and unique homes in the county. It was easily named “The Castle House” due to its thirty-foot-tall rounded turret.
Currently only five buildings dating back to the 1800’s still exist in Brumley. The Castle House, the Baptist Church, which was the first established Christian Church in the town, both of the original Hotels, and the Brumley Whore House, which is now a private residence.
While not the only doctor in Miller County, Dr. Dixon has been described as a visionary, and as the most popular, affluent, and egocentric doctor in the area. With a waiting room in the first floor sitting room, Dr. Dixon maintained his exam room in the second floor sitting room. Regardless of how sick a patient might be, injured, ill or even with an arrow sticking out of their head, all patients were required to climb the steep stairs in order to be examined and treated. As with most physicians, Dr. Dixon also performed house calls, driving a buggy and visiting the sick in their homes, including doing daily tasks and caring for the sick farm animals.
This history was obtained from the current owners website at http://hauntedcastlehouse.com/haunted-tours-history. Please take the time the time to visit not only their website, but to take a tour of the location itself. Don’t forget to follow them on Facebook too. https://www.facebook.com/hauntedcastlehouse/