I’m hoping that those of you who didn’t win last month’s photo ID won’t be discouraged from trying again. There were many worthy stories which made the call unusually difficult, but I thought this one from Jack Patterson of Axeman Island which salutes a departed and special friend of the River, deserved the laurels:
"Could I not know the land of my birth, having come to the river every year since that event in 1938? NO!! And while I had to ponder the scene for perhaps ten or so minutes, it eventually came clear.
Last Month's Wallpaper:
Here we are looking out from Grindstone (West by Northwest) over Deathdealer, the Punts and Barge and the International Boundary to Jolly and Webster Point then beyond over to Parks Canada, Leek Island (Thwartway on the charts) and Huckleberry where the world's largest Muskellunge (69 odd pounds) was caught on rod and reel and the Thirty Acre Shoal off the head of Leek as well as Howe Island and the Canadian mainland, etc., beyond.
Leek was originally owned and developed by the Runions who also long ago owned Axeman Island - all in the Lake Fleet Group (with Barge, The Punts, Deathdealer, etc.) The Runion family also owned and ran the Golden Apple restaurant in Gananoque for many, many years. During WWI - and after, Leek was given over for use as a rehabilitation hospital/hospice for wounded soldiers under the auspices of the family and the New York Stock Exchange.
My grandfather's business partner and subsequently my great uncle, Arthur Singmaster purchased Jolly Island (and Little Jolly or Perch) back in the twenties and built on it using granite from Grindstone for the house and outbuildings including a hilltop gazebo which Bill Danforth recently, wonderfully, resurrected with more Grindstone Island granite and other specialty materials in honor of his wonderful wife, Sissy who we lost to cancer last spring.
Sissy, who many islanders knew as the long time Director of the Thousand Island Land Trust and was active for so many years with all the Beadel - Danforth - Munro family on the river in river causes, was honored by the State of New York by having the new gazebo at Picnic Point on Grindstone (which she was instrumental in having reconstructed) named after her.
Finally, last Fall I went down the 'chute' between Leek and Jolly in a jaunty new Grumman skiff - by myself - that my sister's son in law purchased for his daughter. Whoops! We were overpowered and taking my focus off the throttle handle, the long little skiff suddenly turned 180 degrees and neatly put me over the side into October's St. Lawrence River. Oh My!"
I hope you’re warm and dry now Jack. Many thanks for the story. Six 8 x 10 Thousand Islands prints are headed your way.
If you’re missing the River, perhaps it’s worth mentioning that the web site's live camera went down on the 1st of February because of a power failure. I’m pleased to say it’s back up and running again so you can watch spring’s approach in real time. Click on "CAM" on the website. I've also added a new area to explore under Albums - Neighborhoods – Jones Creek Area, or you can use this direct link: http://www.1000islandsphotoart.com/Albums/tabid/55/AlbumId/41/Default.aspx
The 1000 Islands seems like a small enough place that we all believe we know it well, but we are wrong. I suspect you’ll be surprised to discover how many scenes in these Neighborhood Albums you hadn’t previously known. I'll keep updating them as time allows.
For this month, I’ll leave you with a scene which probably isn’t quite as easily identified as last month’s.
Enjoy!
Ian Coristine
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posted on: Friday, April 10, 2009
Kim Bigelow posted on: Monday, December 28, 2009
posted on: Saturday, March 26, 2011