JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- Sun, clear skies, and open water made for a perfect opening for one of the biggest attractions in the Thousand Islands. Boldt Castle on Heart Island has been staple in the region since it was built in the early 1900s.
“This is a unique historic home here in the Thousand Islands,” said Boldt Castle Facilities Director Shane Sanford.
Once owned by millionaire George Boldt, the castle is now a spot for visitors to take a walk through history. It also hosts dozens of weddings each year and a variety of events, like the ‘Talons! Birds of Prey’ event and a Family Fun Day. Workers are always doing renovation projects and there's even a new audio guide available this season.
“Each year, there’s something new to see for visitors that were just here a year ago. There’s always a major improvement,” said Sanford.
On average, about 180 thousand people visit Boldt Castle each summer, which brings in a lot of revenue to the region.
"$40 million worth of economic impact by the visitation and operation of Boldt Castle every year,” said Robert Horr, the Executive Director of the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority.
The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, which owns the castle, recently did a study on the attraction's impact. Not only does the castle help bring in revenue, it also adds over 600 jobs to the island and the surrounding area.
"Tourism is big in the region anyway, but it’s nice to be known that this is a piece of that. It’s pretty significant,” said Horr.
With the castle being open every day throughout the season, there's plenty of time for visitors to enjoy what Boldt Castle has to offer.
The area around Boldt Castle is also an official port of entry into the U.S., which means it sees a variety of visitors from Canada and all around the world.
For more information on hours and tickets, you can visit their website.