Our Journey: July 2012

Boldt Castle

30 July 2012

After our visit to Fort Stanwix we decided to drive to Alexandria Bay in order to visit Boldt Castle on Heart Island. It is a short 10 minute boat ride from the harbor at the end of James St.

View of Yacht House on Wellesley Island

Alexandria Bay


View of Boldt Castle from Boat

Boldt Castle was to be the testimony of George Boldt's love for his wife Louise. The finest of artisans, craftsmen and materials were to be used.
Unfortunately during construction, Louise suddenly died and work was ordered stopped. Sculptures, tapestries and fine furniture never were placed inside. I believe the furnishings today are part of the restoration project. Most of the floors and rooms have never been completed and most likely never will be due to the huge expense involved. The castle sat vacant from 1904 until 1977 when The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority took ownership.

Grand Staircase

Reception Room

George Boldt's Bedroom

Another View

Mrs Boldt's Bedroom

Bathroom

Guestroom

Sitting Area

Dome

Dining Room

The yacht house on Wellesley island just across from the castle housed the family's 3 yachts and houseboat. They also had a home on the island as well as a farm.

Yacht House

The Power House was built with the intention of electrifying the island.

Power House

The Alster Tower or Play House was perhaps designed after the old defense tower on the Alster River in Hamburg. The Tower served as an occasional residents for the family during the building of the castle.

Alster Tower

The Castle is modeled after 16th buildings and rises 6 stories from the foundation consisting of 127 rooms.
http://www.boldtcastle.com

Worth the trip over.

Fort Stanwix in Rome,NY

30 July 2012

Believe this will be our last fort visit in the area as we have toured within a 100 mile area most of the relevant ones.

Fort Stanwix was established in 1758 during the French and Indian War in Rome, NY and abandoned in 1828. It's purpose was to protect the portage between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek known as the Oneida Carrying Place.

The fort was occupied by American troops in 1776 and besieged by the British in 1777. It burned in 1781 and rebuilt. It fell into disrepair and in 1812 a blockhouse was erected on the parade ground. In 1828 the fort was dismantled.

The site over the years was developed into housing and businesses. A restoration project was undertaken and the fort rebuilt.

It is a very complicated history and if interested urge you to view the site
http://www.nps.gov/fost

Museum Display

Cannon Display

Entrance Sign

Scale Model of Fort Stanwix

Dining Room

Officers Quarters

Barracks

Storehouse

Housing

Guard House

Parade Ground

Fort Wellington, Prescott, Ontario

29 July 2012

Continuing our fort visits to Ontario, we traveled up CA Hwy 401 to Prescott about an hour from Kingston.

Fort Wellington was the main post for the communication between Montreal and Kingston during the war of 1812. It sits across the St. Lawrence from Ogdensburg, NY.

In 1813 a force of local militia and British regulars successfully captured the fort at Ogdensburg.

In 1837, rebellions broke out in Upper and Lower Canada and after failing to free the colonies from British rule,many fled to the United States. In 1838 while the fort was being rebuilt, a force of Canadian rebels and American sympathizers landed at Windmill Point just down from the fort in hopes of capturing the fort. After four days of bloody fighting,the rebels surrendered. After the American Civil War, Prescott was again threatened ,this time by Fenian soldiers who believed they could capture Canada and hold it for ransom for the independence of Ireland.

In 1871 British troops withdrew from Canada, the fort served as a militia depot during WW I. In 1923 it was declared a historic site. The newly constructed Visitor Center houses an 1800's British gun boat hull salvaged from the waters of Brown's Bay near Mallorytown Landing.

British Gun Boat

signage for the Fort

Model of Fort Wellington

Entrance

Reenactors

Blockhouse

Officers Quarters

Officer Office

Artillery

Powder Room

Family Barracks

Battle of the Windmill Site

Fort Henry, Kingston Ontario

29 July 2012

We boarded Destiny at a very nice facility on Hwy 3 8 miles from campground..North Country Animal Health Center until Tuesday.

With passports in hand we decided to visit some forts in Kingston and Prescott Canada. I will write 2 separate blogs on the day.

Cape Vincent,NY

Wolfe Island,Ontario

Ferry to Kingston,Ontario

Kingston,Ontario

We boarded the first ferry in Cape Vincent which took us over to Wolfe Island in Ontario at a cost of $15 for car and driver. After leaving the ferry it was a short drive to the next ferry, which is free. from Wolfe Island to Kingston.

Murney Tower

Museum Display

Our first stop in Kingston was the Murney Tower, a sophisticated Martello Tower built by the British and one of four in Kingston as an effective coastal defense constructed between 1846 and 1848. Since 1925 it has been operating as a museum.

Fort Henry was built following the war of 1812 as part of the defense of Kingston Harbor, Rideau Canal and Naval Dockyard against an American invasion. Kingston's fortifications were never tested in war. Fort Henry was the largest and strongest fortification in North America west of Quebec City.

Fort Henry today is a museum and historic site with visitors from around the world. Uniformed interpreters known as the Fort Henry Guard staff the fort, giving presentations and demonstrations of life as it was in the fort.