Singer Castle

THOUSAND ISLANDS REGION - DARK ISLAND, NEW YORK 

Dark Island, a prominent feature of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, is located in the lower (eastern) Thousand Islands region, near Chippewa Bay. It is a part of the Town of Hammond, in St. Lawrence County, New York.

The Singer Castle on Dark Island is located on the St. Lawrence River.  It is the only remaining castle on the river that was fully completed, furnished, and resided in during the heyday of great builders in New York.  The Bourne family were the original owners from its construction in 1905 until the mid 1960’s.  Mr. Frederick Bourne was the fifth President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, hence the name “Singer Castle”.  

In 1902, Mr. Bourne purchased Dark Island.  He and his wife Emma designed and built the castle at the cost of $500,000.  The 4 story castle consisted of 28 rooms, a 4 story tower, and an elaborate boathouse.  More than 2,000 loads of topsoil were brought over from Canada to cover the with acres of rock on the island.  

There were tons of granite that were quarried from nearby Oak Island and brought over between 1903 to 1905 when the castle was being built.  The construction of Singer Castle was going on at the same time as nearby Boldt Castle.  Mr. Bourne had wanted to surprise his dear wife Emma and their children with an island hunting trip.  Mr. Bourne purchased dark island in 1902 and completed it by 1902.  The Singer Castle was known as “The Retreat”.  

Bourne’s summer neighbor the famous American painter Frederic Remington who lived on Ingleneuk Island wrote that he could hear the sounds of the construction work as the castle was being built.  The design of the castle came from the inspiration of a novel written by Sir Walter Scott about a castle named Woodstock in 1832 in Scotland.  A leading architect in his time, Ernest Flagg who designed the castle was quite busy at the time.  Ernest Flagg had completed two buildings for Bourne’s employer, the Singer Sewing Machine Company.    

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- OPEN DAILY -
Monday – Friday | 10:00am - 1:00pm  with tours for private boaters offered at 10:00am to Noon
Saturday & Sunday | !0:00am - 4:00pm with tours for private boaters offered at 10:00am, Noon, 1:00pm and 2:00pm

Tour departures from Alexandria Bay are currently scheduled on weekdays at 10:00am. 
Weekends 10:00am and 2:00pm on weekends. 
Please check Uncle Sam Boat Tours for cruise schedule and ticket sales.
 Please check appropriate website for specifics.  All schedules are subject to change.

The shuttle from Schermerhorn Harbor stops operating for the season in September.​

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Learn more about the Singer Castle by visiting their website.  
​Address: Box 59, Chippewa Bay, NY 13623
Phone: 877-327-5475 or 315-324-3275

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Updated 09/30/20- LLS