Castle Timeline

Charles L. Castle spent nearly 20 years in the Syracuse, NY billiard table industry, working as a carpenter, billiard mechanic, book-keeper, and traveling salesman. But in the mid-1890's, his (probable) employer, the Benedict Billiard Table Co. of Syracuse, transitioned from building tables locally to selling tables that were made in New York City by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company.

Castle opened his own competing business, and in 1899, the C. L. Castle factory was up and running, initially employing just two people.

1880	Census shows Charles L. Castle as a Billiard Table Maker
1890	After years listed as a carpenter or mechanic, C. L. Castle now works as a book-keeper at the same address as Benedict and Brunswick
1893	C. L. Castle works as a commercial traveler (traveling salesman) at the same address as Benedict and Brunswick
1899	New York State factory inspection shows C. L. Castle manufacturing billiard tables with two workman, 60 hrs/week
1917	C. L. Castle's business closes after he experiences a serious hip injury

The Syracuse Billiard Table Makers

From the Antebellum Era into the Roaring 20’s, a billiard or pool table provided an amusement in social clubs and fraternal lodges, a status symbol in the homes of the wealthy, and a profitable investment for the billiard halls. Billiards played an integral role in men’s social lives, and the tables were beautiful articles of furniture, as well as complex manufactured products.

As a transportation hub and a booming industrial city, Syracuse, NY provided a ready local market for tables, with convenient canal and rail shipping for raw materials and finished goods. A number of Syracuse billiard table "manufactories" competed to supply every hotel, firehouse, saloon, and industrialist’s parlor along the Erie Canal with tables.

Here are the Syracuse Billiard Table Makers that operated between the Civil War and WWI:

Babcock: The longest-running billiard table makers in Syracuse, this two-generation family business started soon after the Civil War, and persevered until the Great Depression (John D. Babcock, Ray Babcock). For more, see the Babcock Timeline or posts labeled Babcock.

Benedict: Beginning in the late 1870’s, Benedict was known for elaborate inlaid tables, and is still the best-known of the old Syracuse makers (Heman A. Benedict, T. William Meachem). For more, see the Benedict Timeline or posts labeled Benedict.

Castle: Around 1900, the ranks of the Syracuse billiard table makers expanded, when Charles L. Castle started his own workshop, after decades of experience in the industry. For more, see the Castle Timeline or posts labeled Castle.

Stickley: Gustav Stickley's United Crafts produced furnishings for the elaborate private billiard rooms of the wealthy, and brothers L. & J. G. Stickley also sold billiard tables. Stay tuned for more on Stickley.

Jim's Castle

Jim Castle had heard stories about his great-grandfather's billiard business, but he'd never actually seen his ancestor’s handiwork. Today Jim is the proud owner of a C. L. Castle “Unity” pool table, made over a century ago in his great-grandfather’s factory, and his family has an heirloom with a very personal meaning.

The owners of Bankshot Antique Pool Tables always had a special affinity for the Syracuse-made tables, but Jim was able to shed new light on the billiard table makers as people and as businessmen. My curiosity led to some research, a press release, and a great story by the Syracuse Post-Standard on Sept. 9, 2012:

Jim Castle restores a pool table that was built at his great-grandfather's Syracuse factory