(Holly Swafford/Contributed)
Tucked in the heart of downtown Fairhope, where mossy oaks create arched canopies and the sidewalks bloom with jasmine, there’s a place that feels like it belongs in a storybook more than a small Southern town. The Fairhope Castles–yes, actual castles–stand as a testament to one family’s creativity, craftsmanship, and an unwavering belief in magic.
The Fairhope Castles began as something a bit more practical: a garage and workshop for a growing family. The work began in 1946 with Craig Sheldon: WWII veteran, carpenter, artist, and the kind of man who could see possibility in a pile of broken tile or a bent piece of metal. What started as a simple workshop grew into something far more imaginative—a stone-and-wood castle, built by hand using salvaged and found materials…