They also had a yacht house that is presently the largest Cedar building on the National Historic Registry. There was also a generator house to produce their own power. Inside the house there are four floors. The ground floor which is one of the floors that is the most completed. Contains a billiard room, a reception room, vestibule, dining room, hall, Mr. Boldt's office, a ballroom, a library and a ground staircase to 2nd floor or foundation level. The second floor (which is only partially finished) contains, Mr. and Mrs. Boldts' bedrooms plus a loggia (partly opened room or gallery) and several guest chambers. The third floor was similar to the 2nd in layout but does not have the grand staircase. The fourth floor has the dome of a skylight, (the skylight particularly caught our eye because of the brilliance of its colors) plus a number of servants rooms, a couple of guest chambers (guess these were for the visiting in-laws you didn't want to stay long), and openings onto observations decks. In the Foundation level (equivalent to our basement area) were several hallways, a lounge, mechanics room for the organ, and a swimming pool. One of the grander outdoor structures was the Arch. Modeled after Roman monuments, this water gate was to be the formal entry for launches, delivering guests from large yachts anchored in deep water, friends from other islands, and visitors from the mainland. Stones were cut and delivered for double rows of columns which would enclose a covered walk, extending from each side of the arch. A drawbridge within the opening was to provide a promenade on the embankment of the Swan Pond. When Boldt decided that he wanted to turn their house into a fairytale castle for his wife they decided to live in the Astral Tower until the building was completed. The project was so extensive that it would take approximately 5 years to build. Throughout the house and grounds you will see the heart design repeated in many different ways. One was a heart that was carved into the side of the house. Around the house there were several gardens that were created so that Mr. and Mrs. Boldt could stroll around their Island paradise surrounded by the beauties of nature. One of the things that I enjoyed on the outside of the house was a lovely fountain Mostly they spent their summers on Heart Island as Mrs. Boldt's birthday was on Valentines Day. Well, in January of 1904 with about 1 1/2 years to go on the construction of the house an order was sent to the builders to stop all work. At the time three hundred workmen dropped their tools and left the island, never to return. The sculptures, Italian mantle pieces, imported tapestries and fine furniture never reached their intended places in the ill-fated, melancholy mansion. Mrs. Boldt had died of what was then described as Consumption. Mr. Boldt stopped all work and never again set foot on the island.
(We couldn't help shooting this picture wondering if the two boys were thinking they were characters in a fairy tale or if they were knights going to the rescue of some fair damsel in the castle?) Unfortunately from 1904 to until 1977, Boldt Castle, Heart Island and the Boldt Yacht House slipped into a state of near irreversible disrepair. In the fall of 1977 the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority assumed ownership of these properties by a gift from the E.J. Noble Foundation. Upon receiving the former Goerge C. Boldt estate, the Authority instituted a stabilization program to halt further deterioration and embarked on a long-term rehabilitation plan that would preserve these historic buildings and properties for generations to come. Throughout the years, many improvements have been made and the Authority fully intends to continue with its rehabilitation programs with planned improvements well into the future. Today, visitors wander in awe through the huge, empty rooms, imagining the luxury, splendor and gaiety that might have been.

For information on visiting times and prices, consult their website at: www.boldtcastle.com.

Good Luck! Have Fun! and Stay Safe!
Laura