Thousand Island Park Camp Meetings

 

By Susan G Mathis

The Thousand Island Park Camp Meeting Association was founded by the Rev. John Ferdinand Dayan, in 1875, as a Methodist summer camp with regular meetings, sermons, and public services. They leased spots for tents or cottages and provided most of the conveniences of city living but without its vices. TI Park was called, “The Chautauqua of the North.”

In 1883, the Park moved away from the family-oriented camp and opened it to a more general public. But they still kept several of their rules like observing the Sabbath.

The Park continued to grow, so by 1894, nearly six hundred cottages plus hotels created a summer village that included a library, yacht club, golf course, roque courts, annual tennis tournaments, daily concerts, an art school, its own printer, a needlecraft shop, fishing guides and boats, a book shop, a photographer…and Sunday services.

By the turn of the century, in 1900, the Park had become a full summer community with a library and all the amenities a full-service resort would provide including insurance companies, printer, needlecraft shop, shoe store, hand-blown glass souvenirs, a china maker, hand laundress, hair and manicurist, Japanese bazaar, Persian and Turkish rugs, general store, meat market, milk, ice, plumber, contractors, barber, boat livery, fishing guides, tailor, Indian basket shop, candy store and more. Yet it still retained a tight-knit, small town warmth and vitality.

Besides hundreds of lovely Victorian cottages, the Columbian Hotel and the Wellesley Hotel (which still exists today), and smaller hotels made up of various cottages were open to the public. The smaller hotels such as the Geneva, the Pratt House, and the Rochester as well as boarding houses each had a separate function.

Today, Thousand Island Park is still a lovely summer community full of gingerbread Victorians and friendly people. The community retains its homey, small town feel and offers lots of fun things to do. It’s a great place to visit in the summertime, and it’s a wonderful place to tell the story of the 1912 fires in Mary’s Moment.

Have you been to a Christian camp? Leave your answer or comments on the post below and join me on February 19th for my next post.

ABOUT MARY’S MOMENT:

It’s 1912, and Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator Mary Flynn is the community heroine saving dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor's burning cottage. Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

ABOUT SUSAN:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has fourteen in her fiction line. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling the world. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Heroes of the 1912 Great Fire (part two)

By Susan G Mathis

As mentioned in my January 19th post, the Great Fire razed the Columbian Hotel and more than a hundred businesses and cottages in the Thousand Island Park. Firefighters bravely fought the fire for many terrible hours. But the residents who also tried to save their beloved Thousand Island Park, were heroes in their own right.

Grandma Tousey was a special resident of the Park. At age 92, she took charge of volunteers, urging them to save others. She was known to save at least two people—Mrs. Anna Nunn and Mrs. Eager—who were caught in a burning cottage. She found them on the floor unconscious and called for help. Once they were dragged into the fresh air, they revived.

Marion Mayer, a twelve-year-old girl, saved a large boarding house on Garden Avenue with a garden hose. And many countless folks risked life and limb to save businesses, cottages, and most importantly, their fellow TI Park residents and volunteers.

After the fire had consumed those hundred structures and an entire section of the Park, others stepped up to help those left homeless and devastated. The Murray Hill Hotel on Murray Island as well as other hotels took in more than a hundred and twenty guests left homeless when the Columbian Hotel burned to the ground. Some welcomed victims into their unburned cottages.

Commodore Gillespie and Herbert Copelle provided $300 of food to form a bread line and provide for the basic needs of the victims. Joseph Wittman of Isle of Pines and T. A. Gillespie of Basswood Island sent their private yachts to Clayton to purchase all the baked goods available and anything else useful for the fire sufferers. These goods were placed in the pavilion on the dock and divided among those who needed them.

And there were others, unnamed folks who helped any way they could. In my novel, Mary’s Moment, I tell their stories—firemen, friends, neighbors, doctors, nurses, and a telephone switchboard operator at the center of it all.

What makes a hero? Leave your answer or comments on the post below and join me on February 19th for my next post.

ABOUT MARY’S MOMENT:

It’s 1912, and Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator Mary Flynn is the community heroine saving dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor's burning cottage. Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

ABOUT SUSAN:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling the world. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Heroes of the 1912 Great Fire (part one)

By Susan G Mathis

The Great Fire of 1912 in the Thousand Island Park is seared into Thousand Island history, especially into the hearts and memories of the Park community. The summer of 1910 was unseasonable hot and dry, and the population of TI Park had grown to about 12,000. The area was primed for trouble, and that summer, three major fires nearly destroyed the Park.

In May, eleven boathouses and three launches were destroyed in a riverfront fire. In June, an entire block of new cottages burned down. Then, in July, the Great Fire razed the Columbian Hotel and more than a hundred businesses and cottages to the north and east of today’s Commons. Firefighters from Alexandria Bay, Clayton, and Ganonoque responded to the call for help, bravely fighting the conflagration for many terrible hours. Residents also came to their aid, trying to save their beloved Thousand Island Park. Many were injured, but thankfully, only one person died.

As the Columbian Hotel burned, William Tousey, Robert Van Lingen, and Frank Sweeny worked their way to the top floor of the hotel where they rushed from room to room. On the top floor in one of the furthest rooms in the southeast corner of the hotel, they found Miss Mary Buster of Watertown, who had fainted. Mr. Tousey threw her over his shoulder, soon carried her to safety.

Paul Crouch of Cortland stood on the peak of the Wellesley Hotel with a blanket thrown around him and ripped the burning shingles from the roof for two hours. His efforts, coupled with the volunteers on the ground, saved the Wellesley Hotel from destruction. Though badly scorched, the hotel reopened the next day.

Next month on February 19th, you’ll read the rest of the story. You’ll learn about a ninety-two-year-old grandmother, a twelve-year-old girl, and others who were heroes during this terrible time. Their stories are penned in my novel, Mary’s Moment.

What makes a hero? Leave your answer or comments on the post below and join me on February 19th for my next post.

ABOUT MARY’S MOMENT:

It’s 1912, and Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator Mary Flynn is the community heroine saving dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor's burning cottage. Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

ABOUT SUSAN:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling the world. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Watertown's Thompson Park

by Susan G Mathis

In Watertown, NY, where I grew up, a beautiful city park rivals many of the grand parks of New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia. I spent untold hours hiking, swimming, picnicking, sledding, and playing on its lovely grounds, so I just had to write the park into one of my novels.
Originally called Watertown Park on its architectural drawings, it's now and forever called Thompson Park in honor of the donor, though for the first twenty-five years locals called it City Park. The park was the vision of local industrialist John C. Thompson, the secretary and treasurer of the New York Air Brake Company.

In 1899, Thompson made an anonymous donation, possibly influenced by the City Beautiful philosophy that was popular during that time. Thompson said that his gift of the public park and green space was for all people to enjoy, not just the rich and famous.

After frequently visiting Manhattan and enjoying New York City's Central Park, he contacted Frederick Olmsted, the park's famous designer. Though Olmsted had retired from the landscape architecture field, Thompson requested Omstead provide him a designer for what he envisioned to be a 100-acre park in Northern New York.

Known as the Father of American Landscape Architecture, Olmsted had designed some of the most famous green spaces in America. Besides Central Park, he also designed Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the campuses of Yale, Cornell, Stanford, and the University of Chicago as well as the landscapes for Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate outside Ashville, NC, and the grounds of the United States Capitol Building!

Frederick Olmsted recommended that the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architecture firm design the park, and in 1899, the project began. Thompson purchased land on the northwest edge of the Tug Hill Plateau called The Pinnacle, a popular overlook of forest and open pastures.

Massive stone pavilions, bandstands, and stairways were constructed to show off the beautiful views throughout the park. Thompson Park also boasts a gold course, zoo, pool, tennis courts, playgrounds, sledding hills, cross-country ski trails, hiking trails, and much more. When I'm on my yearly book tour of the Thousand Island, Thompson Park is always a must-see for me. Did your town have a city park and green space?

About Mary’s Moment:

Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author


Summer 1912

Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator ​Mary Flynn is christened the community heroine for her quick action that saves dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor's burning cottage. Will she remember the truth of who she is or be deceived by a treacherous scoundrel?

Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

About Susan G Mathis:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including Mary’s Moment. Find out more at www.SusanGMathis.com.

Firefighting in the Early 1900s

by Susan G Mathis

Firefighting in the early 1900s was not for the faint of heart. Firemen had few tools and lots of danger, but they faithfully did what they could to save their neighbors’ lives and property.

To protect their bodies, firemen wore bulky, black rubber-lined duck coats and rubber boots. Heavy helmets made of leather and metal protected their heads. Designed with a high dome to deflect falling objects, a wide brim to fend off debris, and a long duck tail to keep water and cinders from their backs made them invaluable.

Commonly used Bucket Brigades were almost universal until the mid-1900s. Two lines of volunteers stretched from the town well to the fire passing buckets of water to the firefighters. Once empty, the buckets were passed back to the well to be refilled. Once the hand pumper came into use, bucket brigades kept the pumper full of water. The fire foreman would use a “speaking trumpet” to give orders and keep his men and volunteers motivated.

Firemen also used hooks and chains to pull down walls of burning buildings to form a firebreak and keep the fire from spreading. Firemen and volunteers often used wet mops called Swabs to fight falling embers that would easily catch a roof on fire.

The early fire engines were horse-drawn. Firemen had to manually pump the water. In the late 1800s, fire engines with internal combustion engines slowly replaced horse-drawn steam engines, but only in the larger cities and wealthier districts. At first, the engines were self-propelled steam powered engines. Decades later did they became gasoline powered trucks.

Professional firefighters had to learn a lot about firefighting including a basic knowledge of fire dynamics, extinguishers, fire suppression, building construction, and how to use ropes and knots, ladders, hoses, and other equipment. They also needed to be fit and to know a little about safe search and rescue, smoke dangers, and so much more.

We cheer on today’s firefighters, and rightly so. But the men who fought fires back in the early 1900s were heroes indeed. In my latest novel, Mary’s Moment, we experience three major fires that nearly destroyed the Thousand Island Park community in 1912. It’s an exciting read.

About Mary’s Moment:

Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author

Summer 1912

Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator ​Mary Flynn is christened the community heroine for her quick action that saves dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor's burning cottage. Will she remember the truth of who she is or be deceived by a treacherous scoundrel?

Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

About Susan:
Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has ten in her fiction line including Mary’s Moment. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling the world. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.