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Boldt Castle ~ By Tom Schley |
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| Throughout the 18th
and 19th centuries, some of the first notable visitors to the
Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River were prominent American
politicians and included presidents, governors, senators and legislators.
Newspaper accounts of the day reported the comings and goings of these
popular, public figures and also included detailed descriptions of the
panoramic beauty of the 1000 Islands. These stories, in turn, attracted
thousands of curious sightseers, vacationers and tourists to the area.
The closing decades of the nineteenth century began an era of privatization of the islands and by the late 1800s, the Thousand Islands had become a favorite summer gathering spot for many prominent and wealthy families of the U.S. and Canada. It was a time of opportunity and prosperity for those with vision and a willingness to take risks. Many islands in the region were purchased by families from the nearby population centers of New York, Boston, Toronto and Montreal. Vast sums were invested and no expense was spared in the construction of opulent, multi-storied cottages, many of which still stand today. One of the most famous of these turn-of-the-century architectural marvels is Boldt Castle. Situated on Heart Island near the village of Alexandria Bay on the St. Lawrence, the six-story, 127-room mansion was built as a gift of love by millionaire George Charles Boldt for his wife Louise. Born in Prussia (now Germany) on April 25 1851, Boldt immigrated to the U.S. in 1864 at the age of 13. Like tens of thousands of others at the time, Boldt decided that America offered the opportunity for a better life. He found work in a hotel kitchen and over the next several years, worked his way up through the restaurant and hotel business.
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One night in 1891 while
working as a desk clerk in a small hotel in Philadelphia, Boldt had a
chance encounter that would change his life. Late one evening, an elderly
couple came into the lobby out of a driving rainstorm and asked if there
was a room available for the night. Boldt apologized and explained that
there were three conventions in town and there were no rooms. Rather than
turn the couple away on such a miserable night and, knowing that they
would never find a room, Boldt offered the couple his own room. After
assuring them that he could make other arrangements for himself, the
couple gratefully accepted.
The following morning when the man came to pay his bill, he commented to Boldt that he was the type of manager who deserved to, one day, run the best hotel in the country. The gentleman further suggested that he might just build one for him to manage. After sharing a good laugh and a handshake, the couple went on their way.
George C. Boldt |
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