THE STORY
Origins 1895
The
Story
Why This House Was Built?
Carleton Villa was never meant to be ordinary.
In the late 19th century, William Ozmun Wyckoff, Union Army captain, entrepreneur, and pioneer of the Remington typewriter, set out to build a summer home that reflected both success and vision.
After the Civil War, Wyckoff rose from modest beginnings to become one of America’s most influential businessmen, helping bring modern communication to the world.
In 1893, he and his wife, Frances Valeria Ives Wyckoff, found their place: the far tip of Carleton Island, overlooking the St. Lawrence River at the gateway to the Thousand Islands. There, they commissioned renowned architect William Henry Miller,famed for his work at Cornell University,to design a villa worthy of the landscape and the legacy they hoped to leave behind.
Built on nearly seven acres with three waterfronts and more than 50 rooms, Carleton Villa was conceived as a monument to craftsmanship, beauty, and permanence. It was to be the first of the great Thousand Islands estates what Boldt Castle and others would later become.
This house was built not simply to be lived in.
It was built to endure.
*All images were found on various websites, local families that allowed me to copy/photograph, or local museums.
A SHOCKING TURN
Why It Was Almost Lost
But Carleton Villa’s story would take a devastating turn before it ever truly began.
Just weeks before construction was completed in 1895, Frances Wyckoff died suddenly of a heart attack. She never saw the home she had dreamed into being. When the villa was finally finished, William Wyckoff stayed only one night within its walls. That very night, he too passed away.
The house meant to host generations became a place of profound loss.
Ownership passed to their sons, but the family’s fortunes declined even prior to the Great Depression. By the early 20th century, the villa was rented, then auctioned, and eventually sold. In the 1930s, General Electric acquired the property with plans for a massive corporate retreat plans that were ultimately abandoned by the pressures of economic collapse and war.
What followed was a slow dismantling.
Doors, windows, stained glass, marble, anything removable was taken. The tower was later removed for safety. By the 1940s, the villa stood partially stripped, fully abandoned, and exposed to the elements. Accessible only by water, it became a structure too difficult, too expensive, and too forgotten for anyone to save.
For nearly a century, Carleton Villa remained behind barbed wire and warning signs, seen only by passing boats and distant photographs.
A landmark reduced to a memory.
A SECOND CALLING
Why We Stepped In
For decades, the owners from 1986 hoped that someone—anyone—would come who would not tear it down, but instead restore it. Inquiries came from around the world. No one was willing to accept the cost, the complexity, and the responsibility.
Until one visit changed everything.
When Ron Clapp, a long-time Real Estate Redeveloper & Investor, arrived at Carleton Island he did not see a ruin. He saw a responsibility. The villa stood broken, uninhabitable, and without utilities yet still unmistakably powerful. The scale. The stone. The setting. The story.
Then something unexpected happened.
In one of the upper windows, Ron noticed what appeared to be a single word left behind by a vandal: “RON.” Written clearly, staring back at him from the structure itself. A coincidence, perhaps. Or something more.
“This project began not as a plan, but as a calling.”
Against every practical reason not to, Ron chose to step forward—to become a steward of what others had left to time.
Today, architects, engineers, and preservation specialists are engaged. Structural assessments are underway. Regulatory processes are being navigated. The path is neither quick nor easy. But the purpose is clear:
We are not simply restoring a building.
We are answering a responsibility to history.
Carleton Villa is being reborn as a place of learning, gathering, and cultural meaning, where the past is honored and the future is invited in.
What was abandoned will be restored.
What was silent will speak again.
Views of The South & North Bay
TIMELINE
July 1895
Villa Completed.
Carleton Villa is finished as the summer estate of William O. Wyckoff and Frances Ives Wyckoff, designed
by architect William H. Miller.
1895
A Tragic Beginning.
Within weeks of completion, Frances Wyckoff passes away. William Wyckoff dies after his first night in the finished villa.
1895–1920
Private Use & Early Decline.
The Wyckoff family retains the property. Financial challenges following World War I and the lead up to the Great Depression begin to impact ownership.
1928
Auction & Transfer.
The villa and estate are auctioned. Hopes for redevelopment emerge but never materialize.
1930–1940
Abandonment & Dismantling.
General Electric acquires the property, proposes large-scale development, then abandons the plan. Materials are removed. The villa is partially dismantled and left vacant.
1943–2022
Decades of Neglect.
The property changed ownership several times but remained unoccupied, exposed, and deteriorating. The tower is removed for safety. The structure becomes a near-lost landmark.
July 26, 2022
Discovery & Acquisition.
Ron Clapp purchases the Carleton Villa property, committing to its restoration. Document: Purchase record. Existing tree survey
October–
December 2023
September 26,
2024
Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation completed
Conducted by Colliers Engineering & Design (CED).
April 10, 2025
New York State Historic Preservation Office (NYSHPO)
Formal support granted for proposed changes to the Phase IB Plan.
April 11–13, 2025
Geophysical Survey Completed The parcel was surveyed using:
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Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
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Terrestrial total field magnetic surveying
Conducted by Dr. Timothy DeSmet and Dr. Alex Nikulin of Aletair.
April 28 – May 2,
2025
Sub-Surface Archaeological Fieldwork Completed
Conducted by the Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) at Binghamton University.
June 4, 2025
IRS approved Carleton Villa Foundation as a Non profit 501c3
Public Process Begins
Special Use Permit applications filed. Planning Board and Zoning Board hearings commence. Barge access established to the property.
January–
March 2024
Environmental & Legal Review.
Variance requests submitted. Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) filed under SEQR. Planning Board designated lead agency.
Restore NY Grant Decision
New York State announces awards. The Carleton Villa request is not approved, but planning and preservation efforts continue.
April 9, 2024
Began the cleanup of 90 years worth of dead trees and general yard maintenance throughout the 6.9 acres (except for portions of the 100’ environmental buffer). Legal challenges filed by TILT. Environmental buffer disputes arise. Town of Cape Vincent co-sponsors Restore NY grant application. Preliminary injunction issued.
July 30, 2024
August
2024 – 2025
September 13,
2024
(REVISED - October 22, 2024)
Preliminary Threatened and Endangered Species Suitable Habitat Assessment Report
Conducted by Colliers Engineering & Design (CED)
October 31st
November 1st,
2022
The Carleton Villa is digitized
Special 3D mapping drones are flown around the entire building to digitize the outside. 3D Cameras set up throughout the inside of the Villa to create 3D photos, to digitize and measure everything within the building. Later all this data allows us to create 3D computer renderings, architectural drawings to create floorplans and exterior elevations.
Preservation Review (Ongoing)
Architectural analysis, legal coordination, environmental compliance, and community engagement continue.
This is a multi-year preservation effort, not an overnight completion project.
What’s Next
Completion of the SEQRA process and the Approvals from the Town Planning & Zoning Boards. Structural stabilization · Environmental compliance · Phased restoration · Community integration
September 13,
2024
Wetland and Watercourse Delineation Report completed.
Conducted by Colliers Engineering & Design (CED)
October 2022
Cleanup of the inside of the Villa begins
All the garbage and debris from years of neglect are cleaned out and moved the the behind the Villa.
June 10, 2025
Phase IB Cultural Resource Management Report Completed
Phase 1B Archaeological and Geophysical Survey finalized.
June 12, 2025
Carleton Villa helps Sponsor the Fireworks show at French Fest to celebrate 130 years of History
June 29, 2025
104 page Response to Town of Cape Vincent’s engineers B&L Site Plan Application Review Comments along with Revised EAF form to continue to move along with the SEQRA process
📽️Vintage Footage: Carleton Villa and Fort Haldimand🎞️
EXPERIENCE
CARLETON VILLA
Immerse yourself in the captivating history and promising future of Carleton Villa. Explore the legacy, the craftsmanship, and the vision that make this heritage site a treasure worth preserving.
Resources
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
More sources:
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https://bigfrog104.com/carleton-island-castle-may-soon-see-new-life/
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https://www.priceypads.com/abandoned-1894-carleton-villa-getting-new-life-after-selling-for-300k/
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https://q1057.com/doomed-and-crumbling-carleton-island-villa-has-sat-empty-for-94-years/
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https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/carleton-island-abandoned-villa/
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https://memoryln.net/places/united-states/new-york/cape-vincent/historic-home/wyckoff-villa/