1000 Places To See Before You Die: Boldt Castle Pump House

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Boldt Castle Pump House

Alexandria Bay, New York

Topic: 1000 Places To See Before You Die

GPS: N44° 20.711; W075° 55.271

Quick Description: 

Boldt Castle and its Pump House is located on Heart Island, one of the 1000 Islands in the St. Lawrence River between the United States and Canada.

Long Description:

Beautiful scenery and millionaire's mansions set on river islands make the 1000 Islands one of the 1,000 places to see before you die. Rocky islands are scattered between the United States and Canada in the upper part of the St. Lawrence River. Many islands have homes built on them. They range from tiny summer cottages to huge millionaire's mansions.

The most opulent of all the mansions and the biggest draw for tourist is Boldt Castle. The castle was built by George Boldt, a millionaire manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The huge castle was intended as a gift for his wife Louise Kehrer Boldt. When she suddenly died, in 1904, construction was halted and George Boldt never visited the property again. After years of neglect and vandalism, the castle has undergone major restoration by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority.

One of the most unusual features of Boldt Castle is the Pump House. It is built on its own island connected to Heart Island by a stone arch bridge.  It is constructed in the form of a castle and houses the machinery necessary for the maintenance of the island.


Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places To See Before You Die In The United States and Canada
Page Location in Source Book: 204
Cost of Admission: $7.00

Hours, Dates, Season: Boldt Castle is open daily May 7th - October 2nd from 10:00am - 6:30pm. During July and August from 10:00am to 7:30pm, October 3rd to the 10th from 10:00am to 5:30pm October 15th and 16th from 11:00am to 5:30pm.