Grindstone Island
Encyclopedia
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
. It consists mainly of abandoned farmland and 45% of it is protected by TILT, the Thousand Island Land Trust.
, but, since 1823, has been recognized as part of the United States. Shortly afterwards a dispute over some harvested trees created a brief disturbance called "The Grindstone Island War" in which American militia attempted to prevent the removal of the logs.
In the early 1900s the island acquired enough of a population to have two school buildings built, a lower school house (which is now a private home) by the cross-island bridge and an upper school house, which is now the Grindstone Island Cultural Center which gives out a scholarship once a year. The island also has a Methodist church founded in 1899 (with services on Sundays) with a Community Center (Dodge Hall) across the street (with dances on Saturday nights in the summer) and a no longer functioning Creamery and Cheese Factory. The island also has one of the few natural beaches in the Thousand Island region open to the public, Potter's Beach.
Lumber and granite quarries were important in the early economy. The island is a self sustaining environment that operates on an honor system; however, infrastructure such as electricity is provided by the town of Clayton, NY. There are no bridges onto Grindstone (save when the river freezes), or formal ferry services onto Grindstone Island. There is a community dock (the town dock in Aunt Jane's Bay) provided for visitors on Aunt Jane's Bay - some inlanders who live inland on the island park their vehicles along the road. There is a normal US postal service delivery route onto the island Monday through Saturday.
The island also recently received street signs marking the island's few official unpaved roads. The people who live on this island are known to locals as "Islanders".
The island is 1.273 miles (closest point) from Clayton, New York.
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
in the St. Lawrence River and the second largest American island. The island lies near 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...
and is part of the United States of America. In particular, the island is in the Town of Clayton
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...
in Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
. It consists mainly of abandoned farmland and 45% of it is protected by TILT, the Thousand Island Land Trust.
History
The first known settlement occurred in 1804. The island was once considered to be part of CanadaCanada
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...
, but, since 1823, has been recognized as part of the United States. Shortly afterwards a dispute over some harvested trees created a brief disturbance called "The Grindstone Island War" in which American militia attempted to prevent the removal of the logs.
In the early 1900s the island acquired enough of a population to have two school buildings built, a lower school house (which is now a private home) by the cross-island bridge and an upper school house, which is now the Grindstone Island Cultural Center which gives out a scholarship once a year. The island also has a Methodist church founded in 1899 (with services on Sundays) with a Community Center (Dodge Hall) across the street (with dances on Saturday nights in the summer) and a no longer functioning Creamery and Cheese Factory. The island also has one of the few natural beaches in the Thousand Island region open to the public, Potter's Beach.
Lumber and granite quarries were important in the early economy. The island is a self sustaining environment that operates on an honor system; however, infrastructure such as electricity is provided by the town of Clayton, NY. There are no bridges onto Grindstone (save when the river freezes), or formal ferry services onto Grindstone Island. There is a community dock (the town dock in Aunt Jane's Bay) provided for visitors on Aunt Jane's Bay - some inlanders who live inland on the island park their vehicles along the road. There is a normal US postal service delivery route onto the island Monday through Saturday.
The island also recently received street signs marking the island's few official unpaved roads. The people who live on this island are known to locals as "Islanders".
Geography
The northern part of the island is on the international border between the United States and Canada. Grindstone Island is in the west end of the St. Lawrence River in between Wellesley and Wolfe Islands. It is one of the larger of the Thousand Islands. In the middle of the island is a bay which divides the island almost in two. There is a small bridge over the bay.The island is 1.273 miles (closest point) from Clayton, New York.
Communities and locations on Grindstone Island
- Aunt Janes Bay — A bayBayA bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
on the south shore - Canoe-Picnic Point State ParkCanoe-Picnic Point State ParkCanoe Point and Picnic Point State Park is on Grindstone Island in the St. Lawrence River. This park in within the bounds of the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York...
— A state parkState parkState parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
on the northeast tip of the island, accessible only by boat - "The cheese factory" — A once-active factory from when dairy farmers were abundant on the island. It was shut down when the farmers ceased producing milk.
- Cummings Point — The tip of a short peninsulaPeninsulaA peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
of the island on the southwest end - Delaney Bay — A bay at the northeast part of the island.
- Dodge Hall — A community center on Northshore Road
- Flynn Bay — A bay on the southwest end of the island
- Grindstone — A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on the north shore - Grindstone United Methodist Church — A church founded in 1890
- Lower Town Landing — A hamlet on the south shore
- Rusho Bay — A bay on the south shore of the island
- Thurso — A small community reaching from Thurso Bay to the crossroads at the church
- Upper Town Landing — A hamlet on the south shore