Raise a glass and toast an Ohio castle’s 150th year at free event

Mac-A-Cheek was built by Abram Sanders Piatt, a farmer and soldier in the Civil War. He and his brother, Donn Piatt, built a pair of homes in West Liberty called the Piatt Castles. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Mac-A-Cheek was built by Abram Sanders Piatt, a farmer and soldier in the Civil War. He and his brother, Donn Piatt, built a pair of homes in West Liberty called the Piatt Castles. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Historic home lovers can raise a glass to celebrate an Ohio castle’s 150th year.

A Toast to Time: Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek’s Sesquicentennial will be held Saturday, Aug. 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The day will be filled with free outdoor demonstrations, discussions and tours by historic home experts and artisans.

A detail of a fresco painted in 1881 by artist Oliver Frey on the ceiling of the drawing room at Mac-A-Cheek. The artist painted numerous walls and ceilings at this home and at Mac-O-Chee, the Piatt Castles of West Liberty. LISA POWELL / STAFF

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Mac-A-Cheek, located at 10051 Township Road 47 in West Liberty, is a 25-room chateau reminiscent of a castle built by Abram Piatt 150-years ago. It has been a house museum operated by the Piatt family for more than a century.

Margaret Piatt, the sixth generation of her family to live on the land, will lead special tours of the castle’s cellar at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Architectural historian Kevin Rose will focus on interior and exterior details revealing how this structure is both unique and typical for a mansion built in 1871.

Visitors can also learn about historic masonry restoration, decorative painting, limestone chiseling and caring for wood. There will be hands-on activities for kids focusing on building and decorating castles.

Two-inch gaps - dust channels - were designed along the stair treads at Mac-A-Cheek, one of the Piatt Castles in West Liberty. The channels made house keeping easier in the 25-room chateau built by Abram Piatt and completed in 1871. LISA POWELL / STAFF

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The event will end at 6:30 p.m. with a round of toasts and sentiments as members of the Piatt family, castle staff, and Mac-A-Cheek Foundation for the Humanities board members share their vision for preservation and restoration of the building and public access to this property in the future.

Schedule:

3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.: Ongoing demonstrations, discussions, and activities

3:30 p.m.: Behind-the-scenes tour of the cellar

5 p.m.: Behind-the-scenes tour of the cellar

6:30 p.m.: A Toast to Time with refreshments and sentiments

There is no cost for the Toast to Time: Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek’s Sesquicentennial activities.

Regular admission fees will be charged for facilitated, self-guided interpretive tours between the 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

More information about the event and Piatt Castle Mac-A-cheek can be found here.

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