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Piedmont Castle is a two story house built in the city of Berkeley, California. It is currently one of the oldest houses in southern Berkeley with many interesting architectual design features. HISTORY Originally built in 1919, the house has been a residential home, a student run co-op, and an underground railroad center for immigrant gypsys. ARCHITECTURE The house was constructed as in a neoromantic design. A distinctive large entry way is defined by a semicircular overpass and rounded arches that overlook a neighboring house. Oak wood floors are still located in the house, along with molding around the walls of the entire house. FAMOUS RESIDENTS Famous Nobel Prize winning chemist Svante August Arrhenius lived in the house in the summer of 1921 when he came to visit the city of San Francisco for a vacation. His friend Jacob Hollans lived in the house at the time and invited Arrhenius to stay there for the summer. WILDLIFE Recently, in the vicinity of the house, a trump of salamanders was discovered inhabiting the wet marshland outside the castle. The population of at least 200 endangered Western Reticulated Spotted Tiger Salamders was perhaps the largest discovery of a suburban Salamander population in California. The herpetologist community of southern Berkeley has flocked to this location in order to study this fragile and delicate and beautiful animal. CURRENT RESIDENTS Currently, there are no interesting people living in Piedmont Castle. However, it is the home of a rather large population of Gambian Pouch Rat s. The colony is the largest outside of Africa, and the source of much scientific debate. The colony also regularly produces a Rat King , likely due to the tight spaces in the walls and large size of the rats. |
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