The Rougemont structure grew floor by floor into a 2,000-square-foot fairytale building after starting as a simple retreat in 2000. During years of vacancy, the remote site attracted trespassers, graffiti, and film crews before Mihaly sought to restore it and host his daughter's 16th birthday. Plans to commercialize the estate fell apart when an informal partnership with Julie Seel collapsed into mutual accusations of financial opportunism. Mihaly now retains the site following a Durham County Superior Court judge's dismissal of both parties' claims after two days of testimony.
Key points
Robert Mihaly retains full ownership of the property following the conclusion of a two-ye…: Robert Mihaly retains full ownership of the property following the conclusion of a two-year legal battle.
The informal nature of the commercial partnership and proposed ownership led to mutual ac…: The informal nature of the commercial partnership and proposed ownership led to mutual accusations of financial opportunism.
Years of vacancy turned the private retreat into an unauthorized hub for ghost hunters, m…: Years of vacancy turned the private retreat into an unauthorized hub for ghost hunters, music videos, and graffiti artists.
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What began as a quiet plan for a simple retreat in the North Carolina woods eventually became something far more ambitious. On 14 acres in Rougemont, Person County, sculptor Robert Mihaly started building himself a small cabin in 2000. More than two decades later, that modest project had transformed into a 60-foot, four-storey structure with the look and feel of a fairytale castle.
From woodland cabin to towering castle
Mihaly, a self-taught artist based in Durham, initially envisioned the property as a secluded place where he could live and work. But the construction kept expanding, floor by floor and room by room, until the little cabin had become Castle Mont Rouge.
According to ABC11, the finished structure covers more than 2,000 square feet and rises over four levels. Mihaly lived there for several years before eventually leaving the property. Without its creator living there, the unusual building developed a life of its own.
Mystery draws curious visitors
Castle Mont Rouge sat largely abandoned for years, adding an air of mystery to the property. Its secluded location and unusual architecture attracted…
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