June 30 – July 3 – Wellelsey Island SP, NY

June 30 – Wellelsey Island SP, NY

Today we followed along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, consisting of NY-37 and NY-12, to Wellesley Island in the heart of the Thousand Islands. Our first stop was for breakfast at Phillips Diner in Ogdensburg. It was a busy, cozy little place that served up our meals quickly and inexpensively. Recommended!

We had campground reservations at Wellelsey Island SP. With 432 campsites, we were a bit worried about it seeming like a huge parking lot. Not the case at all! There are at least six camping areas spread out over a few miles of mostly wooded landscape. In turn, most of the areas are subdivided into multiple loops and the whole place actually feels pretty intimate.

View from Our Wellelsey Island SP Campsite

View from Our Wellelsey Island SP Campsite

We explored the park’s various camping areas, its marina, store and the nature center. The nature center is open year round and even grooms several miles of its trails for cross country skiing. Near the nature center are also rental cabins that are fully winterized, essentially small houses. Hmmmm, ski trip?

Leaving the park, we drove some of the rest of the island including its southwestern tip. There we found the hamlet of Thousand Island Park. It is a summer community, of over 300 lovely, turn-of-the-century resort homes now designated as a national historic district. The place is beautiful and exquisitely maintained with damn little peeling paint. It’s a summer community, with fewer than 100 permanent residents.

We prepared an early dinner of lemon chicken sauté with snap peas. Then, following up on a flyer in the campground office, we headed out to a concert at Densmore Church. The solo artist was a blues vocalist, songwriter and guitarist, Rachelle Coba. She lent her beautiful voice and guitar chops to a wide variety of both her own and traditional blues numbers. We very much enjoyed her performance.

Intimate Performance Venue for Summer Concert Series

Intimate Performance Venue for Summer Concert Series

Built in 1902, Densmore Church is a lovely, shingle style structure listed on the National Historic Register. Sadly, as the local economy evolved from farming to tourism, the congregation dwindled to the point that they were unable to maintain the building. Today the church has been restored and is owned and maintained as an event venue by a charitable organization.

Densmore Church is Restored and Used as an Event Space

Densmore Church is Restored and Used as an Event Space

Sunset over the Seaway

Sunset over the Seaway

July 1 – Wellelsey Island SP, NY

During the Gilded Age of the late 1800s the wealthy went on a binge of constructing extravagant places for them to enjoy leisure time in areas far removed from hectic city life. The Thousand Islands area was one those far removed areas.

People built homes, many of which are huge, elaborate places, along the shores and on the islands in the river. Some are so large that they pretty much qualify as castles. We signed up for a river cruise that toured the area, one that actually crossed into Canadian waters.

Island Duchess was Our Tour Boat

Island Duchess was Our Tour Boat

One of Three Bridges that, Together, Join US to Canada

One of Three Bridges that, Together, Join US to Canada

Many of the homes are fabulous, built by titans of industry.

Some Thousand Islands Homes Look Like Conventional Waterfront Properties

Some Thousand Islands Homes Look Like Conventional Waterfront Properties

Others are Themselves Islands

Others are Themselves Islands

Towers Increase the Water View

Towers Increase the Water View

At the end of the tour the boat makes a stop where passengers can opt to tour the largest home of them all, Boldt Castle. Construction was begun in 1900 on behalf of George C. Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. His wife, Louise, admired a Rhineland Castle and the 120 room castle was to be an expression of George’s love for his wife.

First Glimpse of Boldt Castle

First Glimpse of Boldt Castle

Front View of the Castle

Front View of the Castle

Nice Front Porch

Nice Front Porch

Freighters Pass by Frequently

Freighters Pass by Frequently

He also renamed the island from Hardt to Heart, reshaped the island to resemble a heart and incorporated a heart shape into the gardens, stonework and woodwork of the house.

Most Details of the Property Emphases the Heart Theme

Most Details of the Property Emphases the Heart Theme

More Heart Plantings

More Heart Plantings

Sadly, Louise died about a month before George planned to present it to her. He immediately ceased work on the nearly complete structure and abandoned it. The house was left to the elements and vandals for 73 years. The Thousand Island Bridge Authority assumed ownership in 1977 and began to restore the structure and its auxiliary buildings. While that restoration is still going on, much of the house is on tour today and it was very much well worth the time to tour it.

Entry Hall Photo Shows Three Stories but there are Five

Entry Hall Photo Shows Three Stories but there are Five

Not Known if Window is Tiffany

Not Known if Window is Tiffany

Elegant Bedroom

Elegant Bedroom

Casual Sitting Room

Casual Sitting Room

Where We Gather for Dinner

Where We Gather for Dinner

Retire Here for Brandy and Cigars

Retire Here for Brandy and Cigars

Alster Tower was for Entertainment

Alster Tower was for Entertainment

Approach to  Alster Tower from Land

Approach to Alster Tower from Land

Alster Tower Still Being Restored

Alster Tower Still Being Restored

Many Areas of Castle Remain to be Restored

Many Areas of Castle Remain to be Restored

Some of Electrical Generating Gear

Some of Electrical Generating Gear

We also paid the $3 for the shuttle boat to tour the boathouse. Designed to coordinate with the appearance of the house, it is quite a place. The boats on display are not necessarily the actual boats owned by George but may be sister ships or of the same type as his.

Boat House has Multiple Entries

Boat House has Multiple Entries

Overall View of Boat House Interior

Overall View of Boat House Interior

Open Launch Tiger Built in 1906

Open Launch Tiger Built in 1906

One of Fleet of One-Design Racing Boats

One of Fleet of One-Design Racing Boats

Of note is the largest steam powered boat named Kestrel. Of particular interest was its steam engine and its boiler. They were built by the Fore River Engine Co. of Weymouth, MA. The Fore River Shipyard is the subject of a book written by our brother-in-law, Wayne Miller.

1892 Fore River Engine Company Steam Engine Powered Kestrel

1892 Fore River Engine Company Steam Engine Powered Kestrel

As an aside, the area is called the Thousand Islands but there are really more than 1,800 islands. Early geographers came up with different counts of islands partly because they didn’t agree on the definition of an island. Today, our guide told us, that to be an island it must be at least four square feet in area, not periodically covered by water and it must have at least one tree and one other plant.

We wandered the shopping section of Alexandria Bay and finally opted to have dinner at Riley’s by the River right across from Uncle Sam Boat Tours. Bill started out with a Sloop Juice IPA. Their broiled haddock (Sandy) and their sausage, pepper & onion sandwich (the other) were very good.

July 2 – Wellelsey Island SP, NY

Heading west from Wellelsey Island we drove to the town of Clayton. To begin with, Clayton is a pretty, tourist-oriented town that we found quite agreeable.

View of Downtown Clayton

View of Downtown Clayton

The reason we were here was to visit the Antique Boat Museum. It is quite a place and has much in common with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St Michaels, MD, except that the St Michaels is more broadly focused. This place was about boats and there is a very extensive display of water craft from rowing dories to early working craft through the introduction of the internal combustion engine. There were boats from the mahogany bright-work of the gilded age to the extreme hydroplane racers.

View of Museum from Racing Boat Hall

View of Museum from Racing Boat Hall

Golden Age Watercraft on Display in One Museum Hall

Golden Age Watercraft on Display in One Museum Hall

Thousand Island Rowing Skiff

Thousand Island Rowing Skiff

1902 Boat on Right was Early Example of Gas Power

1902 Boat on Right was Early Example of Gas Power

1924 Elco Claimed All the Comforts of Home

1924 Elco Claimed All the Comforts of Home

Overall View of 42 Foot Elco

Overall View of 42 Foot Elco

Alan Jackson Recently Donated Flat Top to the Museum

Alan Jackson Recently Donated Flat Top to the Museum

Electra Has Been Making Battery Powered Boats for a Long Time

Electra Has Been Making Battery Powered Boats for a Long Time

Outboard Designed for Shallow Water

Outboard Designed for Shallow Water

One of Many Racing Hydroplanes

One of Many Racing Hydroplanes

Supercharger Helped Stuff More Fuel into Rolls Royce V12 Engine

Supercharger Helped Stuff More Fuel into Rolls Royce V12 Engine

So What is Structure Inside Hydroplane?

So What is Structure Inside Hydroplane?

One of the important items the museum has is George Boldt’s houseboat, La Duchesse. Included in our admission was a tour of the boat.

Boldt Houseboat La Duchesse is a Prize Display in Museum

Boldt Houseboat La Duchesse is a Prize Display in Museum

La Duchesse Master Bedroom

La Duchesse Master Bedroom

Gotta Have a Place to Relax On Board

Gotta Have a Place to Relax On Board

Wicker Patio Furniture is Original to Boat

Wicker Patio Furniture is Original to Boat

Every Boat Needs a Galley

Every Boat Needs a Galley

Fireplace in Servants Quarters

Fireplace in Servants Quarters

Even Doorknobs Sported Boldt's Heart Theme

Even Doorknobs Sported Boldt’s Heart Theme

Also, included with our admission was the option to take an old fashioned rowing skiff to paddle around the harbor. We took that fun option and it was a reminder of what getting around on the water was like not so very long ago.

Staff Assisted us with Rowing Skiff

Staff Assisted us with Rowing Skiff

Clearly one of the museum’s annual highlights is the Antique Boat Show & Auction held every August for the past 60 years. Here, fans, collectors and wannabe collectors gather to show off their pride and joy antique boats and to participate in an auction for ownership of one of them.

After our visit we crossed the street to the Wood Boat Brewery where we indulged in adult beverages and shared a large, gluten free pizza. Yum!