Murray Isle
Encyclopedia
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
region of the St. Lawrence River in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The island is near the east town line of the Town of Clayton
Clayton (town), New York
Clayton is a town in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 5,153 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John M. Clayton, a federal political leader from Delaware.The Town of Clayton contains a village named Clayton...
in the northern part of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
.
Today Murray Isle is the site of many summer cottages.
While the record is unclear, it is believed that the first cottage on Murray Isle was built in 1860. The structure, a simple log cabin, was owned by Daniel Sherman. By 1880, the island had four cottages, all located upriver, on the northern portion of the island.
Murray was formerly known as Hemlock Island due to the presence of that variety of tree, but the name was changed in the late 18th century to Murray Hill Park after the Murray Hill
Murray Hill, Manhattan
Murray Hill is a Midtown Manhattan neighborhood in New York City, USA. Around 1987 many real estate promoters of the neighborhood and newer residents described the boundaries as within East 34th Street, East 42nd Street, Madison Avenue, and the East River; in 1999, Frank P...
area of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when the island was developed and lots sold off. The development was never finished. The name was shortened to its present form some time later.
Clayton (village), New York
Clayton is a village located in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,821 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the name of the town....
through the early 20th century when it closed and was ultimately torn down. Today a community house and post office sit on the former site of the hotel. The post office operates yearly from June until September. An annual "Fish Fry" is hosted on the grounds of the community house every summer; the event takes place on the first Saturday of July.
Murray Isle is bounded by channels on both its eastern and western tips. The channel on the island's eastern tip, known as "The Narrows" separates Murray Isle and Wellesley Island
Wellesley Island
Wellesley Island in Jefferson County, New York, USA is partially in the Town of Orleans and partially in the Town of Alexandria.-Geography:...
. A small islet known as Wintergreen Island (formerly Whippoorwill Island) is connected by a footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
along the southern length of Murray.