Donn Piatt purchased 500 acres of land adjacent to his family's already large land holdings and called it Mac-O-Chee. The building of a Swiss chalet for his wife, Louise, was begun during the Civil War. Because of her early death, it was never finished. However, Donn Piatt's nephew, William McCoy Piatt re-designed the building making it into the Flemish Chateau it is today.

The chateau is famous for its collection of tapestries, art objects and furniture, both European and American. The French artist, Oliver Frey decorated and frescoed both this castle and Mac-A-Cheek Castle located one mile west of Mac-O-Chee.

In 1956, the Piatt family regained ownership of Mac-A-Cheek and own and administer both castles.