Yet it's also a tragic love story of a devoted husband's wish to build a castle as a display of love for his beloved wife, only to have her die a month before its scheduled completion. Devastated, he immediately stopped work on the castle and never visited the island again.
George Boldt, owner of the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and the Bellevue-Stratford in Philadelphia, was the most successful hotel magnate in the country.
The castle was built as a birthday and Valentine's Day gift to his wife, Louise. From 1900 to 1904, the Boldt family spent summers here, first in a cottage and later in the Alster Tower (now the playhouse), while 300 workers transformed the island into a paradise.
Twelve years after Louise's death George Boldt died of heart failure at the age of 65. At the time of his death, Boldt's personal estate was valued at more than 20 million dollars. The entire estate was divided equally between his two children George Jr and Clover.
In 1918 the Boldt's properties were sold to Edward J Noble, the Life Savers candies millionaire. His main purpose was to open it to the public as a tourist attraction but never did repairs to the property. The grounds and unfinished buildings were left to rot for more than 70 years.
In 1977 the Noble Foundation offered all of the property to the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority as an outright gift. The restoration is funded from this foundation and ticket sales.
In 1978, the first summer that TIBA operated Boldt Castle, attendance reached 99,000 visitors. With nearly twenty-two million dollars invested in maintenance, improvements, and repairs over the past thirty years, visitations have increased annually, including a record breaking 240,000 visitors in a single season.
Coming into Heart Island and the Boldt Castle
Power House
Heart shaped flower beds
Working on level 3 and 4
Library
Billiard Room
Dining Room
Reception Room
Ballroom
Mr. Boldt's Office
Over one mile of lead was needed to hold the glass in place
Stairs leading to the second floor
Mr. Boldt's Chambers
Mrs. Boldt's Chambers
Mrs. Boldt's Chambers
Miss Boldt's Chambers
Play House
Porches off of each room
The Power House
Interesting
The Yacht House was across from the Castle on Wellesley Island. The family's three yachts and enormous houseboat were accommodated, (with tall masts and rigging standing) in slips 128 feet long. The main space rises 64 feet and the high doors were so heavy that an engine was required to move them. Quarters for crews and maintenance staff were adjacent, as was a shop where racing launches were built and serviced.
The Noble Foundation awarded $100K to restore the Yacht House
Quite a sight to see
My tour of the Boldt Castle which completes Leg Two.....am I tired!!!!
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