If you have read or watched "The Great Gatsby," then you know that in the 1920s, New York was filled with luxurious mansions where the owners hosted extravagant parties; if you have seen "The Gilded Age," you would also be aware that such parties had been taking place since the 1870s.
If you're a particularly loyal fan, you can now even own a piece of F. Scott Fitzgerald's history. It is reported that the vast and century-old Ocklehurst Castle ( Oheka Castle ) is said to have inspired the party scenes in "The Great Gatsby," and it will be auctioned on October 27th through Adam Modlin via Concierge and The Modlin Group.
The original owner of this manor was the financier Otto Hermann Kahn ( Otto Hermann Kahn ). In 1919, he built the Ochka Castle in Nagano, which was named after the abbreviation of his name ( Oh-He-Ka ).
Kahn's wife once referred to this mansion as "Otto's zoo," which seems quite apt. Back then, celebrities often gathered in this 109,000-square-foot residence, and Kahn himself entertained guests from all directions just like Gatsby.
However, O'Heca's story does not end there. After Kahn passed away in 1934, the property changed hands several times until it was abandoned in the 1980s. Fires, vandalism, and theft left it in a state of disrepair.
According to the Ojaca Castle authorities, the real estate developer Gary Melius subsequently purchased the manor and spent 40 million US dollars to restore it to its former glory. Forbes reported that he defaulted on a loan over a decade ago and filed for bankruptcy in July 2025 in order to prevent what is now happening: Ojaca being put up for auction.
Visitors can also spend $30 to visit the estate.
I participated in this visit in April 2024 and was amazed by the beauty of Ochka Castle. The following are my observations and feelings during my visit.
Ochka Castle was built in 1919 by Otto Herman Kahn, a German-American financier.
He paid approximately $11 million for 443 acres of land in West Hills, New York State ( West Hills ), which is about $213 million when converted to today's currency values.
Over its history of more than 100 years, Ohka Castle has experienced a great deal. For those who wish to learn more about it, there are guided tours available twice a day here.
So, I decided to go and take a look. Before this, my knowledge of Ohka was limited to the fact that Kevin Jonas got married there, and that Taylor Swift filmed “Blank Space” and “MV” there.
But Ojka has a rich history. On a beautiful afternoon in April 2024, I learned all about it there.
When you drive up to the entrance, it can be a bit daunting at first glance. There is someone on duty at the gate, and you must be allowed passage by them before you can enter.
Then there was a long driveway. I felt as if I had returned to the golden age.
I was absolutely stunned the first time I saw the main building – yes, I’m talking about a “residence.” Ochka Castle is the second-largest private residence in the United States.
It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States and was selected in September 2004.
When Kahn built this house, he had three requirements: the location had to be high, there had to be a view of water, and it also had to be fire-resistant.
His previous house in New Jersey was once burned down. In contrast, Ojika is entirely built of stone.
I walked inside and waited for the tour to begin in front of a magnificent staircase along with the other members of the same tour group.
After the tour began, we first saw photos of this house before it was restored by its current owner. Later on, we will learn more about this period in history as well.
The first room we entered is this beautiful hallway, with a mural of the sky painted on the ceiling.
The entire house covers an area of 109,000 square feet and has a total of 127 rooms.
Many rooms are used to showcase the history of this mansion, such as the Chaplin Hall ( Chaplin Room ).
Charlie Chaplin was just one of many celebrities who frequented the Ohka club in the 1920s. In the photograph, Chaplin is on the right, Kahn is in the middle, and actor Douglas Fairbanks is on the left.
In fact, according to my tour guide, the inspiration for Jay Gatsby's wild parties in "The Great Gatsby" came directly from what happened in Okehaka during the 1920s.
This is Adèle ( Adelaide ), Kahn's wife,'s favorite room. Adèle is not as sociable as her husband, but this sunny room is perfect for receiving guests.
This banquet hall is the only room within Ohka today that does not retain its original appearance from the Kain era.
However, it could be seen from the windows of the banquet hall that Ochka met Kahn's requirements for a view of the water feature. In the past, he would moor his yacht there.
Kahn was Jewish, and he even built a golf course on his own property because rural clubs at that time would not accept Jews or allow them to play golf.
After Kahn passed away in 1934, this property changed hands several times. From 1948 to 1979, it served as the Oriental Military Academy ( Eastern Military Academy ).
During that period, what is now the breakfast room was used as a gymnasium.
After coming out of that room, we arrived at this huge library.
Above the fireplace hung a portrait of Kane.
The last stop of our tour on the first floor is this room, which also has a bar. The walls are decorated with newspaper clippings about Ohkka.
The articles on display include a report by "Personage" magazine about the wedding of Danielle and Kevin Jonas, which took place in this manor in 2009.
Then we went upstairs to visit the hotel areas and the bride's suite.
The bridal suite, located on the fourth floor, has murals covering the entrance area.
A beautiful open room with windows allows wedding guests to enjoy the neatly trimmed garden landscape of Ojka.
From a high vantage point, the gardens of Ochka are breathtakingly beautiful.
This is the master bedroom of the bridal suite.
The main bathroom is equipped with a bathtub and a shower.
Next, it's time to take a look at the garden, and also to find out what happened to Ohka later on.
In 1979, after the Eastern Military Academy went bankrupt and moved away, Okhka was left abandoned.
Nearby residents were worried that the area might be damaged. In fact, one neighbor, out of concern for safety, took the statue away and did not return it until the restoration work on Ojka was completed in the 1980s.
In 1984, real estate developer Gary Melius purchased Ojika and spent 40 million US dollars to restore it to its former glory.
Ohckka's garden was originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers (Olmsted Brothers), one of their most famous works is their participation in the design of Central Park.
Melius used those original sketches to repair Ohka.
These statues were tracked back and purchased in a single auction and are believed to date back to the Renaissance period.
Today, this place serves as a beautiful wedding venue, a hotel, a restaurant, and residential accommodation – Melius has reserved an apartment on the third floor for himself.
When leaving the manor, I took another look at the restaurant and its courtyard.
