The TIEDEMANN HOUSE, 4308 Franklin Ave., is the most noted and one of the most architecturally distinguished residences on Franklin Ave., the west side equivalent of famous EUCLID AVE. Its notoriety as a haunted house came in the late 20th century, when it became known as the "Franklin Castle." Its builder, Hannes Tiedemann (1832-1908), was a wholesale grocer in the firm of Weidemann & Tiedemann beginning in 1864. In 1883 he was a founder and vice-president of the Savings & Trust Co., one of the first institutions organized in Ohio under the law permitting the formation of trust companies. The family lived continously at this address from 1866-95, and the present Queen Anne-style house was erected in 1881. The house's architects, Cudell & Richardson (identified by a carved stone on the house), were Cleveland's most important architectural firm in the 1880s (see FRANK E. CUDELL). The style of the house, a large rock-faced sandstone mansion with a round corner tower, was exactly contemporary with architectural developments in Chicago and New York. Tiedemann died in 1908 at the age of 75. In the 20th century the house was occupied by a German singing society, the Deutsche Socialisten, and later by the Bildungsverein Eintracht club. The spurious haunted-house stories do not seem to predate 1965. In 1999 the house, which had again become a private residence, was heavily damaged by a fire. Plans to restore the structure were announced the following year.
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