Alexandria Bay, New York Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Alexandria Bay, New York
Village
Left to right from top: panorama of Alexandria Bay, Boldt Castle, Tour Boat passing Longue Vue Island, George C. Boldt Yacht House
Motto(s): "Heart of the Thousand Islands"
Alexandria Bay, New York Location in New York Show map of New York Alexandria Bay, New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	The Thousand Islands (New York)
County	Jefferson
Town	Alexandria
Area
• Total	1.51 sq mi (3.90 km²)
• Land	0.75 sq mi (1.94 km²)
• Water	0.76 sq mi (1.96 km²)
Elevation	284 ft (87 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	924
• Density	1,233.64/sq mi (476.12/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13607
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	36-01187
GNIS feature ID	0942309

Alexandria Bay is a small village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. It's part of the wider Town of Alexandria. This village is located in the beautiful Thousand Islands region of northern New York. In 2020, about 924 people lived here. It's also close to the border crossing between Canada and the United States.

History of Alexandria Bay
Geography of Alexandria Bay
Population in Alexandria Bay
Fun Things to Do in Alexandria Bay
- Boldt Castle
- Bill Johnston's Pirate Days
Economy of Alexandria Bay
Airport in Alexandria Bay
Education in Alexandria Bay
Images for kids
See also

History of Alexandria Bay

People started settling in the area around 1817. By 1836, the community had grown to about 25 homes.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Alexandria Bay became a very popular vacation spot. Many visitors arrived by steamboat from Clayton, NY. The closest train connection was in Redwood.

Several important buildings and places in Alexandria Bay are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the George C. Boldt Yacht House, the Church of Saint Lawrence, the Cornwall Brothers' Store, the Holland Library, Ingleside, and Longue Vue Island.

Geography of Alexandria Bay

Alexandria Bay covers about 3.95 square kilometers (1.51 square miles). Almost half of this area, about 1.97 square kilometers (0.76 square miles), is water. The village sits on the southern bank of the Saint Lawrence River, which forms part of the border between the U.S. and Canada. Keewaydin State Park is located southwest of the village.

Two main roads, New York State Route 12 and New York State Route 26, meet at the only stoplight in the village. Route 12 goes northeast to Ogdensburg (about 36 miles) and southwest to Clayton (about 11 miles). Route 26 starts in Alexandria Bay and heads southeast to Theresa (about 11 miles). Interstate 81 is about 4 miles southwest of the village. It goes south to Watertown (about 25 miles) and Syracuse (about 94 miles). North of Alexandria Bay, Interstate 81 leads to the Thousand Islands Bridge into Canada.

Population in Alexandria Bay

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	120	—
1880	587	—
1890	1,123	91.3%
1900	1,511	34.6%
1910	1,899	25.7%
1920	1,649	−13.2%
1930	1,952	18.4%
1940	1,748	−10.5%
1950	1,688	−3.4%
1960	1,583	−6.2%
1970	1,440	−9.0%
1980	1,265	−12.2%
1990	1,194	−5.6%
2000	1,088	−8.9%
2010	1,078	−0.9%
2020	924	−14.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, the village had a population of 924 people. The population changes a lot throughout the year. While fewer people live there in winter, the number of people in the village can grow to over 15,000 during the late spring, summer, and early fall. This is because many vacationers and boaters come to enjoy the area.

Fun Things to Do in Alexandria Bay

Tour boat on the Saint Lawrence River

Alexandria Bay is a popular spot for tourists, especially in the warmer months. There are many motels and hotels available. You can take boat tours to explore the beautiful bay and river area every day.

Boldt Castle

Boldt Castle is a huge mansion with 120 rooms located on Heart Island, very close to Alexandria Bay. A very rich man named George C. Boldt started building this castle for his wife, Louise, to show his great love for her. He spent over $2.5 million to build this amazing castle, which looks like castles found in Germany's Rhineland region.

Mr. Boldt planned to give the castle to his wife on Valentine's Day. However, in January 1904, Louise Boldt sadly passed away. George Boldt was so heartbroken that he ordered all work on the castle to stop. For 73 years, the castle and other buildings on the island were left unfinished and empty.

In 1977, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought the property. Since then, they have spent millions of dollars fixing up and restoring the castle and its surrounding buildings. You can visit the castle by taking ferries that run hourly every day.

Bill Johnston's Pirate Days

Every August, Alexandria Bay hosts a 10-day festival called "Bill Johnston's Pirate Days." This town-wide event features professional actors who perform exciting pirate battles. They even stage a "siege" of the town by the "Pirate of the Thousand Islands," Bill Johnston, whom the festival is named after. Visitors are encouraged to dress up in pirate costumes, just like the actors who walk around the streets.

The festival is also a great way to learn about history. Many groups set up displays and give presentations about the weapons and ships used during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Economy of Alexandria Bay

In 2020, the total value of goods exported from Alexandria Bay, New York, was about $6.73 billion.

Airport in Alexandria Bay

Maxson Airfield (FAA LID: 89NY) is a private airport located about 2 nautical miles south of the center of Alexandria Bay. It used to have commercial flights provided by Mohawk Airlines.

The Maxson Airport was originally owned by Howard C. Maxson. He operated it as a grass-field airport until he passed away in 1984. During the summer, Howard Maxson would offer airplane tours over the Thousand Islands and also gave flying lessons.