George Charles Boldt, Sr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boldt

At the turn-of-the-century, George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a full size rhineland castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island. The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise.

Beginning in 1900, Boldt's family shared four glorious summers on the island in the Alster Tower while 300 workers including stonemasons, carpenters, and artists fashioned the six story, 120 room castle, complete with tunnels, a powerhouse, Italian gardens, a drawbridge, and a dove cote. Not a single detail or expense was spared.

In 1904, tragedy struck. Boldt telegraphed the island and commanded the workers to immediately "stop all construction." Louise had died suddenly. A broken hearted Boldt could not imagine his dream castle without his beloved. Boldt never returned to the island, leaving behind the structure as a monument of his love.

For 73 years, the castle and various stone structures were left to the mercy of the wind, rain, ice, snow and vandals. When the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977, it was decided that through the use of all net revenues from the castle operation it would be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

Since 1977, several million dollars have been applied to rehabilitating, restoring and improving the Heart Island structures.

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Wikipedia Entry:

George Charles Boldt (1851-1916), was a Prussian-born, self-made millionaire, who influenced the development of the urban hotel as a civic social center and luxurious destination.

He was proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and built and owned The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia (now the Park Hyatt). He was a trustee of Cornell University, to which his daughter donated the Boldt Tower, a gothic residence hall.

He is perhaps best known for building Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands area of New York State. The castle was intended as a gift for his wife Louise Kehrer Boldt, but when she died suddenly in 1904, construction was halted. The castle, which has gone under major restoration after decades of vandalism, is now a major summer tourist attraction at Alexandria Bay.

Boldt is credited with popularizing Thousand Island dressing during his time at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, when he instructed Maître d', Oscar Tschirky, to include it on the menu. The hotel introduced many popular food items, such as Waldorf Salad.

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The "Thousand Island's" Salad dressing was invented by a chef working for George Boldt.

GEDCOM Source

@R980333@ U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,50015::0

GEDCOM Source

1,50015::687337

GEDCOM Source

@R980333@ U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,50015::0

GEDCOM Source

1,50015::687337