Picture this: blue waters, bars downtown, and a castle right in the middle. No, this isn’t an ancient European paradise. This is Alexandria Bay, one of the North Country’s tourist attractions.

Alexandria Bay is a small town, housing roughly twelve hundred residents year-round. During the summer, that number escalates to about two thousand. Nestled right in the middle of the Thousand Islands, it is one of the smaller tourist towns in the North Country, located in Jefferson County and roughly 5 minutes away from the Canadian border. While many tourists go there to enjoy the bars and recreational activities, another popular feature is the castles.

Perhaps the most famous is Boldt Castle, located on the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The love story behind Boldt Castle keeps people coming back each summer: In 1900, George Boldt, a successful hotel magnate in America, decided to build a castle to proclaim his love to his wife Louise. The mansion, a four-floor structure, boasted such riches as a library, a pool, a billiard room, and a ballroom.

Work on the castle was progressing smoothly when tragedy struck. Louise Boldt died suddenly—the reason remains a mystery today. George Boldt ceased all work. Three hundred workmen halted their jobs and never returned to the castle. For many years, the castle was abandoned, subjecting it to poor weather and graffiti. It wasn’t until recently that work on the castle resumed. Even now, repairs continue to restore the castle to its original state.

Robert Kernehan, a resident of Alexandria Bay for forty-four years says, “Boldt Castle is probably the largest attraction for tourists here--it’s very popular.” Boldt Castle is open to the public. Boats take tourists over where they can walk the grounds and go into each room. A video detailing the castle's history is set up within the castle.

Boldt Castle holds many memories for people who grew up with it as a regular hangout. Kernehan said, “Before they started restoring it again, Boldt Castle was a big party place. Kids would get a bunch of boats and go there for parties because the cops wouldn’t bother you out on the water. One of the big challenges at Boldt Castle was trying to get on top of the deer’s back.” The deer is a solitary statue, with no conceivable way to reach it except by climbing the outside of the castle. “Few people ever accomplished it. It was funny to watch.”

Cindy Rogers, a resident of Watertown, a neighboring town to Alexandria Bay says, “It’s all beautiful. The grounds of Boldt Castle are just breathtaking.” Erin Shaefer, a resident of Alexandria Bay adds, “Boldt Castle is always changing and always being worked on to be restored back to its original state. They have made a lot of progress in the past few years.”

Boldt Castle is currently where the fireworks are launched from on the 4th of July. Tourists and residents alike sit by the water and watch the fireworks explode over the castle and reflect off the water. Shaefer has grown up in Alexandria and says of the small town, “It’s very popular with families and people who like history. The people who live here look forward to seeing the tourists every summer. They bring a lot of fun to our little town.”

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