Dark Island

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Dark Island Castle, 1992.

Dark Island, a prominent feature of the St. Lawrence Seaway, is located in the lower (eastern) 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 hundred yards south of the Canadian-US border that runs along the river. Because of its proximity to Canada, it was used for rum running during prohibition in the US.

The south side of the island is only a few hundred feet from the shipping channel, and cargo ships frequently pass the island. Because of the depth of the channel on one side, and the relative shallowness on the other, it is very good for sport fishing of Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike.

[edit] Dark Island Castle

Most of the architectural work at Dark Island is attributed to the prominent American architect Ernest Flagg. His client was Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of the Singer Manufacturing Company (now the Singer Corporation), producer of the Singer Sewing Machine. His daughter, Majorie Bourne Thayer, made additions in 1928. Flagg also designed the skyscraper headquarters for the company in New York City--the tallest building in the world at the time. Flagg is known for many major American projects, such as the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.

Dark Island Castle was the last of several "castles" built at the Thousand Islands during a brief interval (1888-1905). Bourne undertook the project while larger Boldt Castle was nearing completion nearby. The architect modeled the stone structure, planned in 1903, on Scottish models described in novels of Sir Walter Scott.

Following the 1919 death of Frederick Bourne, daughter Marjorie (Mrs. Alexander D. Thayer) took title to the property. Her ownership was constested by a brother, but she retained title. On her death, the Roman Catholic Christian Brothers acquired Dark Island along with the large Bourne country house, Indian Neck Hall at Oakdale on Long Island, which thereafter became La Salle Academy. Having little use for the remote island in the St. Lawrence River, the Christian Brothers in 1965 sold Dark Island for approximately US $30,000, to be used thereafter by charitable organization of religious character, the Harold Martin Evangelistic Association.

Previous tax-exempt status was contested by neighbors after occupancy by the new owner. They contended that Harold Martin, director of the charity, maintained the tax-exempt property for his own private use as a summer residence. Martin prevailed in court, on the basis that he and his wife, Eloise, offered a religious service on the island every Sunday morning, open to all. During this Martin interval, the property was called "Jorstadt Castle," from Harold Martin's family surname before immigrating from Norway. After more than thirty years of Martin tenure, removal, sometimes due to theft, depleted original contents while, due to cost of maintenance, number of original fixtures and artifacts fell into disrepair. Rumors about the true use of the property (its new name not identifying any religious or charitable ownership), together with gradual deterioration of the property, plus stories about a complex maze of dimly lit secret passageways, complete with a dungeon --all increased the romantic mystique of Dark Island

During later decades of the Martin period, the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dark Island was listed for sale. Advertisements appeared in high-end real estate magazines such as Unique Homes with suggestions that it be a "private residence, corporate retreat or hunting lodge." The property was listed for sale at $2.5 million (www.vladi-private-islands.de site). Interest came from as far as Japan, but the property remained unsold until acquired in 2001 from the Harold Martin Evangelistic Association for US $1.7 million by Dark Island Tours, Inc., a venture of German businessman Farhad Vladi and two American business partners. Vladi also operates Vladi Private IslandsGmbH, a Hamburg, Germany based real estate company that specializes in selling islands.

Dark Island Tours, Inc. undertook an extensive campaign of restoration and adaptation in order to open Dark Island to the visiting public. Tours were initiated in 2003. Despite losses over the years, the interiors of Dark Island Castle retain original character, with most of the Bourne-Thayer furnishings. Unlike nearby Boldt Castle, Dark Island always served as a private residence, until opened to the public for tours.

Dark Island now (2006) is for sale through Sothebys International Realty for $22 million. Additional images of the island can be seen here.