Getaway to the Boldt Castle: Part 3

omninorth (38)in #photography • 8 years ago

Everyone should explore a castle at least once in their lives.

After our journey through the Thousand Islands, we arrived at our destination: Heart Island, home of the famous Boldt Castle, a true testament both to architecture and to one man’s love for his wife.

The Castle’s development began in 1900 which was spearheaded by George Boldt, a self-made millionaire, and proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. The story goes that George decided on the Thousand Isles as the perfect location to build something expressing his love for his wife, Louise. Settling on Heart Island, Boldt gathered over 300 workers and began construction on a six-story castle. However, tragedy would strike a mere four years later, as George received word that his beloved wife had suddenly passed away. Heartbroken, he lost the will to continue building the castle and immediately ordered all work to be stopped indefinitely, never stepping foot on the island again. The castle was left abandoned and incomplete for over 70 years, the elements taking their toll.

The tale doesn't end there, though. In 1977, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the Island (for only one dollar!) with the understanding in place that any and all revenue generated by the Castle would be put towards restoration efforts. The renovations began and efforts were undertaken to ensure the Castle would be preserved and could be enjoyed by future generations to come. Many of the rooms and hallways were touched up with some modern sensibilities, but some others remain almost as they were in the earliest days of construction. The work and maintenance of the castle continue to this day, but the restoration of the Castle has definitely paid off. It's become a tourist staple in the area, attracting many Canadians and Americans alike to come explore the Island every year.

Getting to visit the castle was a truly rewarding experience, one I will be thinking about for many, many years. The exterior fountains, gardens and other smaller structures on the Island are visually stunning and well maintained. Exploring the various tunnels and towers was an incredibly fun feeling I'm not going to forget anytime soon. Overall, I can’t recommend visiting the Boldt Castle enough, or any castle for that matter. It was a memorable time and hey, it's one more thing I get to cross off my bucket list!