Madame Sherri's Chateau

Last weekend the iSquangle crew headed off for an out-of-state adventure in nearby New Hampshire. Madame Sherri’s "castle," as these chateau ruins are called, is a well-known, and supposedly haunted, local landmark located in Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, NH. (Directions below)

Gulf Road. A cool diversion on the way to the chateau

The arched stairway, which once led to main floor of the chateau, is the most prominent feature of the ruins.

The chateau was built by Madame Antoinette Berandi Maculuso (Madame Sherri), a costume designer for the Zeigfeld Follies in the 1920s. Madame Sherri spent her summers at her chateau in Chesterfield for more than 30 years.

Madame Sherri was famous around town for her outrageous behavior. She is said to have enjoyed being chauffeured around Keene and Brattleboro during the summer wearing nothing but a fur coat; and rumors circulated around town about her raucous parties and the out-of-town guests that showed up for them.

Another rumor suggests that Madame Sherri ran a brothel out of the chateau. The rumor is probably nothing more than that; the backwoods of New Hampshire isn’t a likely location for a house of ill-repute. Perhaps locals simply confused her old world title with her occupation.

The chateau, which had been long abandoned, burned in 1962. Madame Sherri died three years later at the age of 84.

If you’re interested in exploring the ruins of Mdme Sherri’s chateau, or hiking the loop through Mdme Sherri’s forest, the site is easy to find. From the traffic circle on Putney road, take the Keene/Route 9 East exit. After you cross the green bridge into New Hampshire, take your next right – right by the little market that’s just across the bridge. Take your next left, onto Gulf Road. Mdme Sherri’s Forest is on the right, a couple miles up the road. The sign and parking area are very visible from the main road. The chateau ruins are a across the footbridge and a up a short path.