Boldt Castle

This amazingly romantic-looking picture is of a castle on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands which lie along the Canada-USA border to the north of New York State.

An unfinished dream, George Boldt's magnificent castle and Heart Island complex was a gift for his beloved wife.  Devastated by Louise's death in 1904, he halted construction prior to completion and never again set foot in the island.

The island was left untouched for 73 years when the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought it for one dollar.  Initially the plan was to restore everything to the state it had been in when abandoned, but the improvements have now gone beyond that.

Wellesley Island, New York

Postmarked New York, dated 20 December 2008.

Wellesley Island
1000 Islands
The summer sun gently warms the Victorian Homes, built on Wellesley Island from 1874 to 1890, within sight of the Scenic St. Lawrence River.

The Thousand Islands are a group of 1,793 islands in the St Lawrence River, ranging in size from 40 square miles (1000 sq metres) to anything that can support a single tree and is above water level all year.  Wellesley Island straddles the USA/Canadian border and connects the two via the Thousand Islands International Bridge.  Although some people live there permanently, the poulation grows dramatically in the summer months.