Thousand Islands
Encyclopedia
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s that straddle the Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
border in the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. They stretch for about 50 miles (80.5 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the U.S. islands in the state 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 islands, which number 1,793 in all, range in size from over 40 square miles (103.6 km²) to smaller islands occupied by a single residence, to even smaller uninhabited outcroppings of rocks that are home to migratory waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
. The number of islands was determined using the criteria that any island must be above water level all year round, have an area greater than 1 ft2, and support at least one living tree.
Geography
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
, but the area has so many shoals and rocks that vessels sometimes hire maritime pilots to help them travel through the hazardous waterway. Under the Canadian span, a vessel just less than 25 feet (7.6 m) offshore can find itself in over 200 feet (61 m) of water. Similarly, rocks and shoals less than two feet (61 cm) underwater can be found in the center of channels 90 feet (27 m) deep. Because of the great number of rocks and shoals just above or below the water's surface, it is unwise to travel the waters at night, unless one stays in the main channels and has charts, a chart plotter, or knows the area well. The water is so clear in some areas, that a rocky bottom can be observed in 80 feet (24 m) of water. (It was very murky with a visibility of only a few feet until the arrival of the invading Zebra Mussels, roughly around the mid-1990s.) The area features several shipwrecks and is a great place for diving. Although most of the wrecks are over 100 feet (30 m) underwater, some are a mere 15 feet (4.6 m) below the water's surface and can be seen by looking overboard.
Geologically
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, the islands are located where a branch of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
runs south across the river to join with the Adirondacks.
Around twenty of these islands form the St. Lawrence Islands National Park
St. Lawrence Islands National Park
St. Lawrence Islands National Park is located in the Thousand Islands Region of the Saint Lawrence River. The islands are actually the worn-down tops of ancient mountains...
, the smallest of Canada's national parks. The Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 2002. The U.S. islands include numerous New York state parks, including Wellesley Island State Park
Wellesley Island State Park
Wellesley Island State Park is located on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York at 44° 19'North, 76° 00' West. The park is divided into sections that are on different parts of the island. It has the largest camping complex in the Thousand...
, and Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands located on an island in the St. Lawrence.
Thousand Islands Bridge
The Thousand Islands Bridge is an international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Constructed in 1937, with additions in 1959, the bridges span the United States-Canada border in the middle of the...
connects New York State and Ontario by traversing 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:...
at the northernmost point of Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
in Jefferson County and meets Highway 137
Highway 137 (Ontario)
King's Highway 137, also known as Highway 137, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which serves to connect the northern end of Interstate 81 in New York with Highway 401, via the Canadian span of the Thousand Islands Bridge...
, which leads to Highway 401
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
. The Thousand Islands Parkway
Thousand Islands Parkway
The Thousand Islands Parkway is a parkway in the Canadian province of Ontario, which extends easterly from an interchange with Highway 401 in Gananoque for approximately to the community of Butternut Bay, in Elizabethtown-Kitley, west of Brockville....
provides a scenic view of many of the islands.
Wolfe Island (Ontario)
Wolfe Island is an island located at the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River in Lake Ontario near Kingston, Ontario. Wolfe Island is part of Frontenac County, Ontario. Together with Howe Island, Simcoe Island, and Hickory Island forms the Township of Frontenac Islands. It is the largest of the...
, is located entirely in Ontario. Adjacent to Wolfe but part of New York is Carleton Island
Carleton Island
Carleton Island is located in the St Lawrence River in upstate New York. It was the location of Fort Haldimand, controlled by the British during the American Revolution, and of great strategic importance, as well as being a center of shipbuilding. The ruins of the fort can still be seen at the...
, the site of a ruined fort, Fort Haldiman, built in 1779 by the British during the American Revolutionary War. The island was captured by three American soldiers during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and remains part of the United States today.
Towns most associated with the Thousand Islands include Alexandria Bay, New York
Alexandria Bay, New York
Alexandria Bay is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,080 at the 2010 census.The Village of Alexandria Bay is in the Town of Alexandria.Keewaydin State Park is southeast of the village...
, and Gananoque, Ontario
Gananoque, Ontario
Gananoque is a town in Leeds and Grenville County, Ontario, Canada. The town had a population of 5,287 year-round residents in the Canada 2006 Census, as well as summer residents sometimes referred to as "Islanders" because of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River, Gananoque's most...
. On both sides, free dock-space is available to boaters who wish to come ashore and walk through the towns, with souvenir shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, pizza shops and arcades located nearby.
Another popular American vacation spot is the Wellesley Island State Park on 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:...
, which sports hundreds of camping sites, both powered and not, and several boat ramps and docking facilities for a boater-friendly park.
Culture
The Thousand Islands gave their name to the popular Thousand Island DressingThousand Island dressing
Thousand Island dressing is a salad dressing and condiment, a variant of remoulade and Russian dressing.Its base commonly contains mayonnaise and can include olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, cream, chili sauce, tomato puree, ketchup, or Tabasco...
around the turn of the 20th century when Sophie LaLonde, of Clayton, New York
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...
who served the dressing at dinner for guests of her husband, a popular fishing guide, gave the recipe to Clayton hotel owner Ella Bertrand and New York City stage actress May Irwin
May Irwin
May Irwin , was a Canadian actress, singer and star of vaudeville.-Early life and career:Born at Whitby, Ontario 1862 as Georgina May Campbell, her father, Robert E. Campbell of Whitby, Ontario, died when she was 13 years old and her stage-minded mother, Jane Draper, in need of money, encouraged...
. Irwin shared it with hotel magnate George C. Boldt
George Boldt
George Charles Boldt was a Prussian-born American hotelier. A self-made millionaire, he influenced the development of the urban hotel as a civic social center and luxury destination.-Philadelphia:...
.
History
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many distinguished visitors made the region widely known as a summer resort. Several grand hotels provided luxurious accommodations while steamboats offered extensive tours among the islands. Wealthy and middle-class summer residents built summer homes. Some masonry "castles" remain as international landmarks. The most famous extant examples are "The Towers" on Dark IslandDark Island
Dark Island, a prominent feature of the St. Lawrence Seaway, is located in the lower Thousand Islands region, near Chippewa Bay. A historic landmark here, "The Towers" was long known as Dark Island Castle until recently renamed "Singer Castle". The island itself sits only a few yards south of...
, now called Singer Castle, and the long-neglected Boldt Castle
Boldt Castle
Boldt Castle, located on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands of the Saint Lawrence River, along the northern border of New York State, is a major landmark and tourist attraction in its region.-History:...
on Heart Island, which is slowly being restored.
During the half century (1874–1912) of the resort's greatest prominence, most wealthy vacationers came from 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...
, joined by prominent families from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other cities of the United States and Canada. The region retains a historically important collection of vacation homes from this time. The Thousand Islands have long been a center for recreational boating. Large steam yachts, many designed by Nathanael Herreshoff
Nathanael Herreshoff
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff I , was an American naval architect-mechanical engineer. "Captain Nat," as he was known, revolutionized yacht design, and produced a succession of undefeated America's Cup defenders between 1893–1920....
required distinctive yacht houses. The region was known also for innovative power boating during this period. Three local yacht clubs hosted the Gold Cup Races of the American Power Boat Association
American Power Boat Association
The American Power Boat Association is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique , the world...
for nine consecutive years. The Antique Boat Museum of Clayton
Clayton, New York
The term Clayton, New York could refer to either of two locations on St. Lawrence River:* Clayton , New York* Clayton , New York...
retains one of the world's major collections of recreational freshwater boats.
Popular boating, fishing and vacationing locations
- One of the few beaches in the Thousand Islands, Potter's Beach on the American Grindstone Island has a fine, shallow sandy bottom with a very gradual slope, perfect for boaters that want to stretch their legs or socialize.
- A popular location for swimming or anchoring out of the wind, the Lake of the Isles is a secluded area cut off from the rest of the St. Lawrence River by Wellesley Island and neighboring Canadian Hill Island. Access is limited through two narrow passages.
- Known for its fishing, Eel Bay is a shallow bay just southwest of Wellesley Island. From the air, the bay can resemble the Caribbean with a turquoise-tinted crystal clear water and sandy bottoms.
- Boldt CastleBoldt CastleBoldt Castle, located on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands of the Saint Lawrence River, along the northern border of New York State, is a major landmark and tourist attraction in its region.-History:...
, a testament of one man's love of his wife, has been under renovation by its owner, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority since 1977, and can be visited by boat or tour cruise. This 120-room mansion and surrounding grounds are available for touring, and is also available for wedding ceremonies. - The Antique Boat Museum in Clayton houses exhibits antique wooden boats used or built in the region. The museum also features exhibits on the region's maritime culture and is home to the LaDuchess, George Boldt's luxury houseboat.
- Though not as famous as George Boldt's Castle, Singer Castle on Dark Island is privately renovated and is open to tourists. Frederick Bourne had his castle constructed with secret passageways so that he could spy on his guests.
Notable islands
- In the Saint Lawrence River, about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Alexandria Bay, there is an island called Deer IslandDeer Island (Thousand Islands)Deer Island is one of the American Thousand Islands. It lies between mainland Canada and United States, within the Saint Lawrence River, close to Alexandria Bay, New York. It is owned entirely by the Russell Trust Association and is used as a Skull and Bones retreat.The island lies near Boldt...
that is owned by the secret society of Skull and BonesSkull and BonesSkull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. - There is a pair of islands near Rockport called the Zavikon IslandZavikon IslandZavikon Island refers to either the larger or the pair of islands in the Thousand Islands archipelago on the St. Lawrence River between New York and Ontario, two kilometres southeast of Rockport, Ontario and about 200 meters north of the international boundary...
. A popular but incorrect tale among the local tourist guides is that the bigger island is in Canada, while the smaller one is in the USA, and the foot bridge between them is the shortest international bridge in the world. The Zavikon Island is located in the CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
territory and belongs to the Leeds and GrenvilleLeeds and Grenville United Counties, OntarioThe United Counties of Leeds and Grenville are located Ontario, Canada. The population, as of the 2006 census, was 99,206. The United Counties have a land area of . Leeds and Grenville are located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Eastern Ontario, and front on the St. Lawrence River and...
municipal unit. - There is only one artificial island in the entire region, Longue Vue IslandLongue Vue IslandLongue Vue Island is an island located in the Thousand Islands region on the Saint Lawrence River. The island is on the American side of the river, right next to the Seaway Channel in Northern New York. It is also specially known as it is the only artificial island in the entire region. The...
.
Dressing
Thousand Island dressingThousand Island dressing
Thousand Island dressing is a salad dressing and condiment, a variant of remoulade and Russian dressing.Its base commonly contains mayonnaise and can include olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, cream, chili sauce, tomato puree, ketchup, or Tabasco...
was named for the chain of islands by the actress who popularised the dressing, May Irwin
May Irwin
May Irwin , was a Canadian actress, singer and star of vaudeville.-Early life and career:Born at Whitby, Ontario 1862 as Georgina May Campbell, her father, Robert E. Campbell of Whitby, Ontario, died when she was 13 years old and her stage-minded mother, Jane Draper, in need of money, encouraged...
, stating that she thought the dressing looked like the thousand islands region in regards to the islands as being the chopped vegetables.
See also
|
Grenadier Island (Saint Lawrence River) Grenadier Island is one of the islands of the Thousand Islands located on the St. Lawrence River in Leeds County, Ontario, Canada.-Early history:... Grindstone Island Grindstone Island is the fourth largest of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River and the second largest American island. The island lies near Lake Ontario and is part of the United States of America. In particular, the island is in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York... Hochelaga Archipelago The Hochelaga Archipelago, also known as the Montreal Islands , is a group of islands at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers in the southwest part of the province of Quebec, Canada.-Size:... Longue Vue Island Longue Vue Island is an island located in the Thousand Islands region on the Saint Lawrence River. The island is on the American side of the river, right next to the Seaway Channel in Northern New York. It is also specially known as it is the only artificial island in the entire region. The... Murray Isle Murray Isle is an island in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River in the U.S. state of New York. The island is near the east town line of the Town of Clayton in the northern part of Jefferson County.... |
Sugar Island (St. Lawrence River) Sugar Island is located in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River in Ontario. It is roughly of undeveloped island wilderness. In the 1950s the local nautical charts changed the name from St. Lawrence Island to the name the island has now, Sugar 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:... Wolfe Island (Ontario) Wolfe Island is an island located at the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River in Lake Ontario near Kingston, Ontario. Wolfe Island is part of Frontenac County, Ontario. Together with Howe Island, Simcoe Island, and Hickory Island forms the Township of Frontenac Islands. It is the largest of the... Zavikon Island Zavikon Island refers to either the larger or the pair of islands in the Thousand Islands archipelago on the St. Lawrence River between New York and Ontario, two kilometres southeast of Rockport, Ontario and about 200 meters north of the international boundary... |
Frontenac Axis The Frontenac Axis is an exposed strip of Precambrian rock in Canada and the United States which links the Canadian Shield with the Adirondack mountain range in New York, an extension of the Laurentian mountains of Québec. The axis separates the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Great Lakes Lowlands.... Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... 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... Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of... Upstate New York Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York... |
External links
- 1000 Island Images...Refreshing Views of the River
- Page about Juniper Island
- Real Ontario. Ontario's Tourism Guide
- 1000 Islands Gananoque Chamber of Commerce and tourism information
- St. Lawrence Parks Commission (Ontario)
- Page about Wolfe Island
- Thousand Islands Life
- The Antique Boat Museum, Clayton, NY
- Boating the 1000 Islands
- Welcome to The Thousand Islands
- St. Lawrence River / 1000 Islands Live Webcam
- "Discovering the Thousand Islands" by Don Ross
Tourism offices