Building Mr. Searles Walls

Many of the laborers and masons who worked in the construction of Searles Castle, in Windham, were immigrants from Italy. A few years back, I had a gentleman drop by my office who provided me a photograph of his grandfather, Jacob Pitchochelli with his family. The gentleman shown in the photograph above driving the oxen is also Jacob Pitchochelli. Wouldn’t Mr. Searles and all of the people who labored to build the walls of Searles Castle, and who must have taken such pride in their work, be disappointed that so much of it has been destroyed or is falling to the ground today. The beautiful gate being constructed in the photograph above, became a safety hazard and was torn down.

Jacob Pitchochelli with his family