Alexandria Bay, New York: Where History Meets the River
Long before European settlers arrived on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, the Iroquois and Algonquin peoples spent their summers fishing and hunting among the islands. According to legend, the god Manitou offered the warring tribes a paradise if they would lay down their arms. When they refused, he gathered paradise into a bag and flung it toward the horizon — and when the bag burst open, a thousand pieces fell into the river, creating the Thousand Islands. It's a story that still echoes through the region today.
From Wilderness to Village
European settlement in the area began around 1817, and by 1836 the community had grown to roughly 25 dwellings. The village was named after Alexander LeRay, son of James LeRay de Chaumont — the French landowner who purchased much of what is today Jefferson County and whose family's name is woven throughout the region's towns, rivers, and lakes.
By the late 1800s, Alexandria Bay had become a bustling stop along the St. Lawrence River, serving as a major fueling point for the steamships navigating the waterway. As transportation improved and word spread about the natural beauty of the islands, wealthy families from New York, Philadelphia, and other major cities began flocking to the region — and Alexandria Bay was at the center of it all.
The Gilded Age Comes to the River
The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought an extraordinary wave of wealth and ambition to Alexandria Bay. Millionaires built lavish summer estates on private islands along the river — a stretch that came to be known as Millionaire's Row. Grand boathouses, manicured gardens, and multi-story mansions rose from the water, transforming the landscape into something out of a fairy tale.
None of those estates captured the imagination quite like Boldt Castle. At the turn of the century, George C. Boldt — the multi-millionaire proprietor of the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City — commissioned a 120-room castle on Heart Island, just across the shipping channel from Alexandria Bay. Boldt invested over $2.5 million into the project, intending to present the castle to his beloved wife Louise as a Valentine's Day gift. Tragically, Louise passed away suddenly in 1904 before the castle was completed. Heartbroken, Boldt immediately halted all construction and, according to legend, never set foot on Heart Island again. The castle sat vacant and deteriorating for over 70 years before being acquired and restored. Today it stands as the crown jewel of the 1000 Islands and the region's most visited attraction.
Pirates, Prohibition, and Living History
Alexandria Bay's history isn't without its wilder chapters. During the War of 1812, the Battle of Cranberry Creek was fought nearby. And during the Prohibition era, the maze of islands and inlets along the St. Lawrence made the region a smuggler's haven — local captains who knew every channel and cove made regular runs across the US-Canada border to bring back contraband alcohol. Divers exploring the river bottom today still occasionally turn up old bottles from that era.
The spirit of that colorful history lives on every August during Bill Johnston's Pirate Days — a beloved 10-day festival celebrating the legendary "Pirate of the Thousand Islands," Bill Johnston, who raided ships on the river in the 1800s. It's one of the most popular events in the region and a reminder that Alexandria Bay has never been short on character.
Alexandria Bay Today
The year-round population of Alexandria Bay hovers around 1,000 residents, but during the summer months the village swells to well over 15,000 as visitors pour in from across North America and beyond. Boat tours, world-class fishing, waterfront dining, and of course Boldt Castle keep the village humming from spring through fall.
USA Today readers have voted Alexandria Bay home to the "Best U.S. Boat Ride," and it's easy to understand why. From its Indigenous roots and Gilded Age grandeur to its pirate lore and Prohibition stories, Alexandria Bay is a place where history doesn't just sit in a museum — it floats right alongside you on the river.
