New York State Weekend Trip - Boldt Castle, Thousand Islands (Day 2, Part 2)

We thoroughly explored Heart Island and the exterior gardens and separate buildings at Boldt Castle, so it was time to step inside the castle itself. As I mentioned before, there were hearts, stags (deer that are a symbol of the Boldt family crest), or "B" emblems everywhere. Here you see a stained glass panel in a main doorway with the letter "B" in a heart with a stag on top.

This was a tile on the main level right below the giant staircase in the foyer:

First Floor Staircase

On the Second Floor

 As we walked through the mansion, we felt like royalty as this was definitely a giant home to today's standards. This extravagant staircase led to an open concept second and third floor with railings that overlooked the floors below. In addition, there were two more levels to the castle with even more rooms!

Looking upwards to the ceiling, there was a very impressive stained glass skylight. This was not original to the home as it was added during renovations. I'm sure that the Boldt Family would have loved it!

Here are some images from the first floor of the castle, all renovated and decorated to suit the early 1900s:

Living Room

Living Room

Billiards Room

Dining Room

Library

Ballroom

We walked up the huge central staircase to the second floor of the home. Here are some photos of the second floor, which was mostly renovated:

A small portion of the second floor, as well as the third and fourth floors have not been fully restored yet. Many of these rooms are still in disrepair from when Boldt Castle was abandoned. Lots of areas were ravaged by the weather, vandals, or time. We were able to even see some graffiti from the early 1900s where visitors to the abandoned castle made their marks.

We were able to walk out onto a balcony on the fourth floor, which offered a gorgeous view of the surroundings. We were also able to see some of the interesting architecture of the castle up close.

I found some postcards in the gift shop, and we also purchased a Christmas ornament for our collection and a fridge magnet for our other collection. We are definitely beginning to accumulate a lot of items from our travels!

All of the rooms in the castle had an image showing the state of the room before it was renovated. It was amazing to see how run-down the place had become before it was restored. I'm sure that many people loved visiting the abandoned castle as a ghostly relic of the past, but it would have been a shame to let such a magnificent structure slowly crumble away. They have done such a spectacular job revitalizing the interior and exterior of the castle, and hopefully they are able to raise the funds that they need to fully restore the entire home.

We truly enjoyed our visit to Boldt Castle! If you love history, architecture, gardens, or you're looking for somewhere different to visit, be sure to check out the Thousand Islands region and specifically, Heart Island.