Singer Castle

Singer Castle, formerly known as Dark Island Castle or The Towers, stands on Dark Island in the lower Thousand Islands region of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Located within the Town of Hammond in St. Lawrence County, New York, the structure sits just south of the United States-Canada border. Constructed between 1903 and 1905, this historic landmark was designed by prominent American architect Ernest Flagg for Frederick Gilbert Bourne, the president of the Singer Manufacturing Company. Flagg modeled the stone edifice after a castle described in Sir Walter Scott's novel Woodstock, making it the last of the grand castles built in the area during the early twentieth century. The residence features twenty-eight rooms, including a grand drawing room and library, and is famous for its intricate network of secret passageways hidden behind movable bookshelves and panels.

The property holds significant historical value due to its connection to the industrial boom of the era and the architectural legacy of Flagg, who also designed the Singer Building in New York City. After Bourne's death in 1919, ownership passed to his daughter, Marjorie Bourne Thayer, before being acquired by the Christian Brothers in the mid-twentieth century. They eventually sold the island in 1965 to the Harold Martin Evangelistic Association, during which time it was briefly known as Jorstadt Castle. Despite legal challenges regarding its tax-exempt status, the owners maintained the site by holding weekly religious services. Today, Singer Castle operates as a unique tourist destination and vacation rental, offering visitors a chance to explore its mysterious corridors and enjoy the surrounding waters, which are renowned for sport fishing.