Thousand Islands Boathouses

Heaven is a little closer in a home by the water.

The Webster Dictionary's definition for boathouse is simple: a shed at the edge of a river or lake used for housing boats. In the Thousand Islands they take their boat houses a little more seriously than that and some are over a century old built as lavish retreats on their own, with bedrooms, dining rooms, fireplaces and even ballrooms. Grand boathouses dotted the St. Lawrence River during its Golden Age when wealthy business barons owned fleets of vessels. Other boathouses are practical ports of call. Like every island, every boathouse has a story to tell. 

Boathouses in the Thousand Islands come in all sizes.The Boldt Yacht House was built in 1899 to accommodate as many as 60 of Boldt’s watercraft, including skiffs, steam yachts, runabouts and his luxury houseboat. 

Some are extremely small like this one we found close to Brockville, ON.

They also come in all colors, like these in Thousand Island Park

Some are very interesting like these two found near Alexandria Bay.

And some are plain...but most are well kept and decorated with flowers.

Some of the boathouses look like houses.