History
Toward the end of WWI, war hero Bill Blecha was so fascinated by a castle he saw in Europe, he vowed to build himself a similar one in his hometown of Oklahoma City. When Blecha returned home from war, he became a manager at Manhattan Construction Company. His duties included demolition and disposal, which gave him free access to what would become historically significant architectural pieces – pieces that would later prove to be the mainstay of the Blecha castle.
More than two decades passed when Blecha discovered the same European castle featured in an architectural catalog in 1945. So with renewed inspiration and a storehouse of unusual salvaged pieces he acquired from demolition sites, he and his wife worked side-by-side to build Blecha’s Dream Castle. The castle is nestled into the side of a hill with three levels framed by 24” thick walls poured from 55 truckloads of concrete. This labor of love took nearly five years to complete, and the couple called it home for more than 40 years. This castle is a testament to a realized dream, and Bill Blecha enjoyed his dream castle until his death in 1989 at the age of 96. His daughter and son-in-law continued to live on the grounds until 1994 in a cottage constructed by Blecha in 1972.
Hilda Vormann purchased the property from the Blecha family in 1994 transforming The Cellar into German Restaurant Keller in the Kastle. The cellar setting has intentionally not been changed since its’ opening in the mid-90’s to reflect a family-owned cellar one would find while traveling throughout Europe.
In 2004, Amy and Ralph Rollins purchased the property with the intent of opening a special events center. The Rollins, partnering with Event Specialist Lou Ann Forman, began a number of improvements and restoration projects to create an ideal setting for outdoor weddings and events. While developing the concept, suggestions for names included Castle on the Green, Castle on the Hill and Rock Castle to name a few. Ralph suggested Castle Falls. Lou Ann and Amy embraced the name and thus began the first of many improvements with the addition of the waterfall as the first main project. The restaurant reopened in February 2005 with the Grande Hall designed for special events and weddings being completed in 2007. Amy and Ralph, along with Lou Ann and her husband Steve, are continuing the journey of enhancing the property with the most recent restoration of the oringinal chicken coop on the southeast corner of the property along with the new Garden Folly.
In February 2009, Castle Falls was pleased to present two new dining options: The Cellar at Castle Falls and The Primrose at Castle Falls. The Cellar is located on the first level, and the Primrose and the Library are located on the second level. The Master Suite is on the third level but is not open for dinning or viewing at this time. The Cellar offers European influenced cuisine in an old-world, picturesque and informal setting. Seating for The Cellar is on the first level of the Castle and weather permitting along with availability additional seating outside in the garden area. Seating in the Cellar is limited to 6 years of age or older. The Primrose is a romantic setting featuring five course meal offerings. All entrees' listed on The Cellar menu are offered on The Primrose menu but presented with five courses. Semi-private dining is available in the Library. Seating is limited on the Primrose to guests 13 years of age or older and stair navigation is required. Castle Falls continues to evolve while maintaining its’ historical integrity, intimate atmosphere and old-world charm.