Calumet Island
- For the island in the Ottawa River with the same name, see L'Île-du-Grand-Calumet, Quebec
Calumet Island is an island in the 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence River, located right outside of Clayton, New York. It is located in the Town of Clayton, in Jefferson County, New York.
Background
New York tobacco tycoon Charles G. Emery[1] who was a pioneering developer of the island region during the 1800s. Along with Boldt, the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel they began to purchase islands as they were both members of the New York City Yacht Club. Emery would buy the island in 1882 and changed its name from Powder Horn Island to Calumet as it resembled an Indian peace pipe for which Calumet means.[2] In 1893 began construction on a castle on it until 1894. Boldt would do similar, but Emery was first, building a lavish 30 room castle, with ballroom, a water tower, lagoon for his steam yachts, guesthouse, boathouse and ice house. The lavish castle would become known for even more lavish parties. Later, Boldt would build a 120 room castle on his Heart Island.[1] still standing castle
Tragedy
On Emery's birthday on 20 July 1907 his second wife died at the castle in accordance with her wishes. With a broken heart Emery locked the castle door for good. He himself died in 1915, leaving the $4 million estate to his son Frank and grandson Charles. G. Emery II.[1] However it was still left vacant until a fire struck in 1956.[1] Today all that remains is the water tower, which has been converted to a light house of sorts, the Ice House, the power house, the skiff house, the servant's house, and the boat house, as well as the staircase that led up to the castle.
Post Emery's
In the 1960s and early 1970s it was the site of the Calumet Island Marina[3] where it was a restaurant and bar as well. Today it is owned by the Rawson family[1] who use it for summer holidays.
External links
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Calumet Island
- Calumet Castle images from the Thousand Islands Museum on New York Heritage
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Smith, Susan W. "A History of Recreation in the 1000 Islands". oliver_kilian.tripod.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ↑ "Calumet Island's Lost Castle". www.thousandislandslife.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ↑ http://www.1000islandssteelking.com/?page_id=504
Coordinates: 44°15′00″N 76°05′44″W / 44.25000°N 76.09556°W