Thousand Island Park
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Established as a Methodist campground on Wellesley Island along the St. Lawrence River in 1885, Thousand Island Park boasts a rich and vibrant collection of historic architecture. Soon after its founding, roughly 500 family tents populated the grounds and later evolved into unique tent cottages that still exist today. This intimate exploration of Thousand Island Park will include special access to numerous private and public sites including the Thousand Island Park Museum, a presentation at the T.I. Park Landmark Society (instrumental in the recognition of “the Park” on the National Register of Historic Places), the Vivekananda Cottage, the ca. 1880 Iron Cottage that survived several fires due to its metal siding, a classic tent cottage, and a larger “estate” home. Additionally, we will explore the 1885 wooden Tabernacle, the community ‘s library, an early 20th century chapel, a historic ferry landing, and the still-operating Wellesley Hotel. This outing also includes an optional guided walk to the top of the iconic 1938 Thousand Islands Bridge for those who wish to experience this feat of civil engineering.
This tour is led by AARCH member Thomas French and others from the Thousand Island Park Museum, as well as folks from the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society and local property owners. The tour begins at 10 AM and ends at 4 PM.
The fee is $60 for AARCH members and $75 for non-members. Lunch provided by The Guzzle is included.
Please note that there will be two miles of walking over mostly even terrain.