In a charming spot called Cape Vincent, New York, nestled in the United States, there’s this unique place known as 13618 Carleton Island Lot 1, also called Carleton Villa. Believe it or not, this old villa, which had been left abandoned for more than seventy years, has just been sold for a surprising $300,000! It had actually been up for sale for quite a few years before finding its new owner. And guess what? The buyer is Ronald Clapp, a real estate investor from Florida, who has exciting plans to bring this long-forgotten home back to life! Ronald intends to give it a new purpose by turning it into a charming bed and breakfast.
Carleton Villa was brought to life by an architect named William Miller back in 1894. It was originally built for William O. Wyckoff, a man who made his fortune by helping the Remington Arms Company make typewriters popular. Interestingly, this lavish estate was meant to be both a summer residence and a place for extravagant parties. It was the grandest home in the Thousand Islands area and can be found on Carleton Island, where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River. Unfortunately, William O. Wyckoff’s wife passed away just before they could move in, and he himself passed away shortly after spending his first night there.
After Wyckoff’s passing, the villa was bought by Clarence Wyckoff, one of his sons. However, due to the hardships of the Great Depression, the family had to sell their beloved home. General Electric then bought the property with plans to demolish it and use the land for other purposes. They even let people salvage items from the villa. Many windows, even the stained glass ones, were taken out, and parts of the building were torn down. World War II eventually stopped these demolition efforts, and General Electric left the property as it was. Only later did they decide to bring down the large tower for safety reasons.
The Carleton Island villa sits on a spacious 6.9 acres of land and boasts three different access points to the waterfront: 198 feet right in front of the villa, 287 feet along North Bay, and 330 feet along South Bay. Despite more than seventy years of neglect, the villa’s stone base is still standing, while the upper stories supported by wooden frames have deteriorated. Surprisingly, the island still has access to water and power, though not directly connected to the villa’s utilities. The villa was constructed around 1895 and saw use until around 1927.
Around the time of World War II, contractors were allowed to enter the villa and remove interior elements like doors and windows, leaving it exposed to the elements. The Carleton Island property was initially listed for $375,000, with Barry Kukowski from Howard Hanna Clayton as the listing agent. Exciting things are in store for the future of Carleton Villa!
