After the toil of yesterday, today had to include more sedentary activities, so we set off on a cruise on the river to Boldt castle on Heart Island. Owned and built by a partner of the Waldrof – Astoria hotel in New York City, this castle from the early 1900’s is the result of a tragic love story.
George Boldt built this 127 roomed castle for his wife Louise and just before completion, she died suddenly. He stopped all construction and abandoned the island, never to return again. The State took it over in the 1960’s and have been working to restore, complete and furnish it ever since. It is beautiful and magnificent, complete with indoor swimming pool, small castle playroom for the children, Italian garden, swan pond and service tunnel for the servants and deliveries; it continues to be a work in progress.
The balustrades, concrete work and decorative steel all have hearts shapes designed into them and George Boldt had the island end point blasted so that the island too is heart shaped. This beautiful castle has a forlorn sadness about it that reflects the love story it tells.
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