Aside from some ornate roadside barriers along Lakeside Boulevard, little remains today of what was once one of the lake's most exquisite hotels. Then: One of Lake Hopatcong's grandest hotels sat on the south shore of River Styx Cove on Lakeside Boulevard. Castle Edward was originally constructed in 1905 as a one-story structure designed to look like a 17th-century castle. It soon expanded and by 1913 had three levels. Castle Edward featured such amenities as an orchestra, ballroom, bowling alleys, billiards, beach, and a barber shop.
Now: Castle Edward closed during the Depression and was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1931. The land lay vacant and strewn with rubble for many years. Following World War II, the property was subdivided and the majority used for Mary Ann's, two motel-like structures that incorporated Castle Edward's original grand exterior staircase and some of the beautiful stone walls. In the 1990s, these structures were totally renovated and converted into condominium units. Castle Edward's ornate walkways have survived and its roadside balustrade can still be seen today along Lakeside Boulevard.
These and dozens of other "Then and Now" images and stories are available in an updated version of Lake Hopatcong: Then and Now by Marty Kane, president of the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum. Purchase that and other lake-related history books here on the museum's website. And see hundreds of photos and other historical paraphernalia at the museum, which is located in Hopatcong State Park.
