Standing on the very edge of Heart Island, Alster Tower rises 90 feet high. It's walls are built of a variety of local brownstone.

George Boldt was inspired for his playhouse from an old defense tower he saw on the Alster River in Germany.
While his idea came from that tower, most likely its construction was improvised in a highly personal manner, evolving as it rose. Probably George Boldt himself was the real author of this imaginative and eccentric creation. His wife Louise shared in his keen interest and great enthusiasm for these projects.

Construction on Alster Tower, or the 'Playhouse,' as it was sometimes called, began in 1897 and was finished in 1899, and cost $15,000 to build. Its intended purpose was to entertain guests to the island, and for recreational facilities for the family.

Lots more information, and many more photos inside!

Douglas J. StJohn P.O. Box 127 Lycoming, N.Y., 13093

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