Tuesday, April 20, 2021

THOUSAND ISLANDS

 
Back in the 90's after all my foray's in Canada, my fathers cousin and his wife had sold their huge motor home, for a house boat. They invited me on two nice floats on it. One  summer, they took me down the St Lawrence from Canada, and into New York, and toured the Thousand Islands. I was thinking right now with many countries not open for travel yet, this could be a nice get-a-way, at least for us in the east and upper mid-east, who are looking to get out, travel, and to enjoy a new experience. Much to see, and without really encountering too many people. The 1000 Islands is another of the gems between New York and Canada. The border between the two wraps around some 1,800 islands in this archipelago so that each belongs to one county or another. Situated along the St Lawrence River, one can enjoy a wonderful breeze and picturesque scenery. I enjoyed both trips very much. And the cruise is a great way to enjoy.  George Pullman, the inventor of the Pullman sleeping car, was the one who brought attention to the area when he invited President Grant and General Sherman to visit. It soon grew as a resort area for the Gilded Age magnates. Rent yourself a boat or do a cruise. It makes for a great afternoon. Many of these picture I have scanned from pictures my father took of the trip there. 

Thousand Islands Bridge
Boldt Castle was amazing! It was built by hotelier George Boldt, who was owner of the Belleview Hotel in Philly, and a manger of the Waldorf Astoria. The home was a 120 room dream home, no expense spared, and had it built on the island that he had reshaped as a heart, and renamed the island Heart Island. It was intended to be a Valentine's gift for his wife Louise. It was then unexpected that she died at their home in NYC, before it was finished. The heartbroken Boldt abandoned the unfinished castle, and it sat unfinished for years, till it was acquired and restored and finished by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and opened to the public.
Singer Castle was also nice to see. It was built by Commodore Frederick Gilbert Bourne who was the fifth president of the sewing machine company. Cool to see... it had turrets, dungeons, secret passageways, yacht house and a two story icehouse for entertaining. The family lived there to well into the early 70's.
This place is indeed abandoned. Another sad story. The grand estate was originally designed as a summer house for William O Wyckoff, of typewriter development fame... to give to his wife.. It was located on Carleton Island, where the Ontario flows into the St Lawrence River. Wyckoff's wife also died unexpectedly of a heart attack a month before they moved in. Once Wyckoff moved in and on his first night in the mansion,  Wyckoff himself had a heart attack and died. The youngest son inherited the mansion, but the family lost much of their fortune during the Great Depression and the home was sold to General Electric,  who planned on demolishing it to build a retreat, but plans were abandoned. Since then, the mansion has been left to the elements.
My cousin's houseboat. Big enough for four comfortably. I felt just like Sophia Loren floating down the St Lawrence and into the islands. If you want a trip of a different type, it's a great two to three day trip. Such fun, fond memories.

56 comments:

  1. Until just now, I hadn't realized that Thousand Islands is an actual location. I'm geographically challenged you know. I thought it was just a somewhat revolting salad dressing that I loved as a kid. You live, you learn. Very pretty pictures.

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    1. I knew about the area and not the dressing!!!! Never put it together. I love that dressing with certain sandwiches...like smoked turkey, cheese, cole slaw and thousand island dressing on wheat! OMG! Nice to see you back Duchess Deedles!!!!!

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    2. My mother always said that Jack-in-the-box's secret sauce was thousand island dressing. I loved their burgers until they switched to putting mayo on everything instead.

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    3. Oh, I had a similar realisation as Deedles. I was vaguely aware that the dressing was named after some islands, but I thought they were in more tropical climes (I don't know, somewhere like the Caribbean, or South Pacific, maybe?)!

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    4. Cap Chasen was given us the story below! Who knew?!?!?!

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  2. This trip sounds amazing. I’d love to take it, on that size boat, and visit the houses and castles.

    Sassybear
    Www.Idleeyesandadormy.Com

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    1. It was great! We anchored a couple times as we head up river into the Gulf of St Lawrence and wrapped around to Prince Edward Island and then to Nova Scotia.

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    2. OMG, that sounds amazing Maddie!

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  3. I have been to the Thousand Islands twice and they are a string of pearls.

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  4. This is the one thing I wished I had taken the time to do when in Canada, considering I know how to steer a boat and go sailing. It's beautiful. So many islands.

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    1. If you sail, you would love it then!

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  5. Cute houseboat. Those are some tragic ass stories about those mansions/castles. Wow. Who knew the one percenters had it so hard! What an interesting area. And I have never heard of it. Fascinating. Thank you, as always, for sharing. I learn so much reading your blog, dear. Kizzes.

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    1. It was a nice houseboat till it sank. My cousins later took it down Mexico way, where they were on a cruising trip there and he hit a rock. Unbeknownst to them, it made a hole, and water was slowly coming in. By time they got to dock the whole back half was pretty much sunk. That was that.

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  6. Love the water ways - they are the best part of visiting A-Bay! We did several tours in the 1000's over the years. On the last one where we saw the Boldt Castle, which was a great time, a huge place with lovely grounds, we had a tour guide, Rosemary who was fabulous...and took us island to island. We also learned and got the history of how the dressing came about. Your photo taking must come from your father Mistress.

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    1. It is far more beautiful then I expected. I wondered about the dressing and it's name. I didn't know about that.

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    2. Cap Chasen4/20/2021

      Oh yes Mistress.... Story goes, in the early 20th century, a fishing guide's wife, Sophie Lalonde, made the condiment for her husband's shore dinner. Actress, May Irwin liked it so much she requested the recipe. She in turn, gave it to another Thousand Islands summer visitor George Boldt, who was the owner of the Belleview Hotel in Philadelphia and Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Boldt then directed his world famous maitre d', Oscar of the Waldorf, to put it on the hotel's menu at once. So, the rest is history.

      Now you know.

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    3. Now that is cool! I had no idea Cap.

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  7. Much more elegant than the west side
    of Canada where we traveled, no mansions,
    lots of Orcas (killer whales).
    Fun tour! xoxo :-)

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    1. I would have loved to have seen some Orcas. I don't recall our tour started so far to the West...at least not as far as you were.

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  8. You are barking up my tree with the architecture porn! I love all of those houses, on their little islands, along the shore, and Boldt Castle; such a sad tale, though I'm thrilled it was saved!
    Thanks for the tour!

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    1. I think you and Carlos would love this trip. And it's a shame that the Carleton house was never remodeled. But it did look sort of cool seeing the decapitating mansion.

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  9. you almost get around as much as a std.

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  10. Amazing beauty! Thousand Islands is absolutely breathtaking. I had no idea. The water looks so beautiful and area so scenic. So much to do and see I gather. I wanted to go see this but couldn't get the hubby too. I wonder if it has changed much since you were there?

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    1. I have the feeling it hasn't changed much.

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  11. Gorgeous vacation destination. The Thousand Islands area is a must see travel destination. We would definitely go back. While visiting, boat or cruise is the way to go. But seeing the Boldt Castle was mind blowing, the size it was.

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  12. So great you here using your fathers photos!!!! I love the 1000 Islands area. Great to explore. So much to do and see in the 1000 islands. Loads of history, slower pace, gorgeous surroundings. This area and it's history has always fascinated me to no end.

    The house boat is fabulous! Thats the way to go.

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    1. It was. And it was quite comfortable...but four days was enough.

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  13. That is amazing! How did I never hear of this???

    I have learned from these post, after the pandemic, I SOOOO need to travel more. Life is too short is sit around.

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  14. Never heard of 1,000 island.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  15. Gorgeous pics, sweetpea! Suddenly, I'm hungry for a pastrami sandwich...with 1000 Island Dressing! xoxo

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    1. My father took these. Hence why some look faded. But toots....your like me with the sandwiches!!!!!! Aren't they good?

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  16. On a journey up to Prince Rupert from Vancouver Island the ferry sailed past a pod of orcas - I can still see the orca bounding in and out of the sunlit waters, and the joy of that day has never left me. Canada is a beautiful country; all we saw of the 1,000 islands was from the window of Canadian Pacific train.

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    1. I didn't get to see one orca. But I love whale watching and have seen some beautiful breeches up in Provincetown.

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  17. Great houseboat. I always wanted to live on one, as long as someone else did the maintenance. Last time I was anywhere near Thousand Islands was before Boldt Castle was renovated. I'm no trying to picture Sophia Loren floating down the St Lawrence and into the islands.

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    1. The was my first and only time on a houseboat. It was pretty cool. But after four to five days it was enough. My cousin ended up sinking it when he took it done Mexico way and hit a rock. They barely made hit in to dock.

      I sat top side with a wide brim.

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  18. Note to self: if you manufacture sewing machines you can buy yourself a massive castle on your own private island...

    If only I were an inventor.

    Looks almost unreal - I love the houses so low in the water that they look like they're floating. Magical! Jx

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    1. I thought the same. And I've no idea what happens if they get tons of rain or snow melt from the north rushed down river.

      I wonder if MJ has a island????

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  19. Beautiful places and buildings, even if abandoned.

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  20. Wait, what?
    This is fantastic! I had no idea this existed. I love everything about this: the stories, the history, the views....

    XOXO

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    1. Imagine us on a houseboat? I had no idea it existed either till I saw it.

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  21. Looks like a delightful way to spend a week.

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    1. There's a nice get away for you and Wicked in a pandemic.

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  22. wonderful photos of a grand trip. NY state is fabulous!

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    1. And I had no idea the George Bodlt owned the Belleview Hotel at one point. Even then it seems a lot of trips had Philly connections.

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  23. Great pictures. I hadn't thought of doing that as a getaway. But, you're right. A float up the Colorado River would be fascinating.

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  24. What a fun way to travel!!

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  25. I know you don't swim but if you're a scuba diver, you'll love the wrecks in the St. Lawrence river! I've been back several times to scuba dive in the Thousand Islands, It was AWESOME!

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  26. What beautiful, picturesque little islands! Even the Carleton Island mansion looks lovely with a blue sky behind it, but I should think come evening/nightfall, or on a foggy day, it looks a lot less inviting...

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    1. It does look like something out of Scooby-Doo! Jx

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  27. yes yes yes I want to see this.

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  28. I've never heard of this place. Wait. Hold up. Is that a garage door on that house on one of the smaller islands???

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    1. Probably! Many house had a door boats could drive right in.

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!