Boldt Castle on Heart Island

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I visited this magnificent testimonial to love in the Thousand Islands twice; first in the 1980s when the refurbishing was just beginning, and again in 2008, when work was about 3/4 completed. My photos can only provide a hint of all its architectural and other treasures.

From a humble beginning as a poor immigrant, George Boldt (1851-1916) eventually became one of America’s richest men (think Waldorf Astoria and other great hotels). In 1877 he married Louise, 15 years his junior, to whom he devoted his life and love ever thereafter. In 1896 they bought the 5 acre (2 hectare) Hart Island in the St Lawrence River, and renamed it “Heart”. It already had an 80-room wooden “cottage”, where the Boldts spent summers while building some ancillary stone structures and planning what was to be George’s gift to Louise, a genuine castle as spectacular as those in his native Prussia.

When work began on the castle in 1900, he spared no expense in either the building or its furnishings. Unfortunately, in 1904 just as the 127-room castle itself and the nearby boathouse were completed, and the finest furnishings were starting to arrive from abroad, Louise died suddenly: broken hearted, George halted all work, sent all 300 workmen home, and left Heart Island never to return. Some of the intended furnishings were found half a century later, still in their original crates, some sunk under collapsed boat landings.

From 1904 to 1977, it deteriorated into utter disrepair. Recognizing its potential, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority took it over in 1977, and began a multi-million-dollar plan to complete the interior, acquire appropriate period furnishings, and make it into the fabulous tourist attraction that it is today. It can be visited by tour boat from Alexandria Bay NY or Gananoque or Rockport in Ontario, Canada (passports required). By all means, if you are anywhere near the Thousand Islands, this is a MUST SEE.

There are 40 photos altogether, so don’t forget to go on to Page 2, and remember that you can click on any picture to enlarge it to full size.

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Comments

[Misty]

Beautiful! How have I never heard of this castle before?! Jesse and I will have to plan a trip to visit this in the near future- a bit of a tragic love story behind it, but fascinating none the less.