HomeMy WebLinkAboutSea Breezes The Folklore Magazine $4.00
of Fishers Island
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FISHER'S ISLAND
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Historical Chronology of Fishers Island
Compiled by Charles Ferguson
c.1870 Wreck of schooner, "Isabella Blake."
c.15,000 B.C. Harbor Hill Glaciation 1878 Race Rock Lighthouse built.
10-8,000 B.C. Nomadic Indians in area 1879 Fishers Island legally declared part of
6-5,000 B.C. Earliest dated habitation of Island
N.Y. state
1881 St. John's Episcopal Church.
700-500 B.C. First clay pottery 1886 F.I. Yacht Club established.
c.1,000 A.D. Indian agriculture begins 1888 F.I. Free School (now library)
c.1,000 A.D. Possible Viking visits 1892 Hay Harbor Club established.
1497-1614 Possible exploration by: Cabot(1497), 1889 Edmund M. and Walton Ferguson
Verrazano (1524), Gosnold (1602), purchased Island for farming.
Block (1614). 1893 Monanotto built.
1640-41 John Winthrop, Jr. acquires Island 1895 Wreck of "Alinda."
by: Conn. & Mass. grants. 1898 1st Union Chapel and Post Office.
1643-44 "Munnawtawket" title purchased Fort H.G. Wright property sold to
from Indians. government.
c.1644 Settling of Island began. 1900 Permanent Life Saving Station built&
1662 Charter obtained from King Charles manned by U.S. Coast Guard.
for Conn. "and Islands adjacent: 1905 Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.
Fishers, Gardiners, Shelter and 1910 Mansion House and cottages built.
possibly Long Island?" 1915 Wilderness Dairy Barn.
1664 Fishers Island and Long Island in- 1923 Wreck of Rum Runner "Thelma
cluded in King's grant to Duke of Phoebe"at Chocomount Beach.
York. 1924 Eastern 2/3 of Island sold to form
1689 Island leased to W. Wolworth. His Fishers Island Corp.
children were first whites born on 1938 "Great Hurricane."
Island. 1950 Race Rock Syndicate purchased Fort
1741 Fishers Island Sound frozen over. Wright from government.
1779 British troops plundered Island. 1960 Henry L. Ferguson Museum founded.
1793 Th. Allen leased Island. Three chil- 1963 F.I. Country Club demolished.
dren buried on Island. 1966 H. Lee Ferguson, Jr. Sanctuary dedi-
1815 Great gale laid bare the Island. cated.
1846 Wreck of the "Atlantic.
1967 Ferry "Olinda"commissioned.
"
purchased North 1972 H.L. Ferguson Museum building
1847 U.S. Government
p erected on sanctuary property.
Dumpling - erected Lighthouse. 1973 New F.I. School opened.
1850's Life Saving Station at Race Point 1978 Ferry "Munnatawket"commissioned.
(local volunteers)
1863 Robert R. Fox purchased Island from 1978 Dedication of Betty Matthiessen Sanc-
Winthrop heirs.
tuary to H.L. Ferguson Museum.
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2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A magazine is only as good as its component parts. SEA BREEZES is fortunate in this regard. All
the parts seemed to have been put together with just the right kind of affection and care that quality
requires.
Charles Morgan donated photographs from his personal collection and went out with us one day
for a frenzied picture-taking session. His unflagging insistence on getting just the right angle left him
bruised and shaken, but his determination did enable us to reap the benefits of his considerable
talents. To him we owe our dearest thanks.
Mary Pankiewicz's patience must be mentioned at this point, for the staff of SEA BREEZES, in
their wild pursuit of facts in and around her office, would have driven a lesser person to extremes.
What would a magazine be without its printer. What would SEA BREEZES be without Quality
Printers, Inc., of New London, the owner Faye Vathauer and her very capable staff. Words to ex-
press our deep thanks for a job well done do not come easy, but we'll try— thank you, Thank You,
and THANK YOU!
Thank you's are also to be issued to Roberta Elwell and Elizabeth Witt for their artistic advice,
which gives this magazine some class, and to Dorothy Edwards, Laura Edwards, Susan Seerman, and
Wanda Wojciechowska for their proofreading service, which gives this magazine some integrity.
Our friends in the community are many, but singled out for recognition must be the John Gada
Family, the Dick Edwards Family, the Edmund White Family, and the Dick Baker Family for their
generosity in allowing us to "paw" over and make use of their wonderful collections of photographs
and maps. In totality, this fine compendium of material offers a vivid portrait of Island life, history,
and geography.
Other people who have given their talents to this project are Pat Baker, whose resourcefulness is
more than deserving of our admiration and gratitude, Charles Stepanek, our school's history instruc-
tor, whose 1976 Oral History Project has given guidance and direction to SEA BREEZES, and Ed
and Kay Horning - curators, guides, archivists, and all-around good guys to the Henry L. Ferguson
Museum - whose loving natures mirror everything that is good and decent about humanity.
In addition, a special note of thanks must go to Edwin Horning Jr., who allowed us to photograph
one of his many extraordinary paintings for the cover of our magazine.
And finally, our biggest thanks goes to you, the considerate reader, who, by purchasing a copy of
SEA BREEZES, has recognized the important need of students to speak out and to share in the ever-
unfolding pageantry of history.
3
STAFF
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In the atrium at the Fishers Island School. From left to right: Jeanine Edwards, Renee Thibodeau, Susan Pankiewicz, Willie
Pendleton, Jill Edwards, Krista Jenssen, April White, David Seerman (SEA BREEZES adviser), Dina White.
Fisher's Island
"Where on earth is Fisher's Island?" Supplanting the old "Skipjack,"
The poeple used to say— And the stage, with its ten-cent fare.
"We must go to Fisher's Island";
Is the way they talk today. For tho' nature made this Island
A very lovely spot,
Between Race Rock and Wicopesset; The demands of human nature
This lumpy tract of land Have changed it quite a lot.
Is full of fascination,
In air and sea and sand. But we can't be looking backward,
If we would be up to date.
Aeroplanes land very easily, So it's just for fun and fancy
Motor cars are everywhere These true stories I relate.
"Fishers Island"was written by Mary B.Edmonds, a long-time friend and resident of Fishers Island. The poem itself
comes from a collection of poems she published many decades ago under the title of Old Fishers Island Days and
Ways:By One Who Knows.
4
INTRODUCTION
SEA BREEZES is an attempt to match the wonder of history with the enterprise of youth. It isn't always a
classic get together. History is at peace with itself and youth is restless,but both are forever unfolding,reveal-
ing new shades of their individual and mutual affinities with the world. The object here on Fishers Island has
been for youth to identify history and claim a portion of it as their own.
Fundamentally, SEA BREEZES serves as a vehicle for students to make connections rather than distinc-
tions, to see where the blend is rather than the disparities.Through this manner of approach, the magazine
becomes an interdisciplinary effort. The students learn to combine separate sources into one creative whole.
As an experiment in education, SEA BREEZES is not unique, but it does serve educational functions that
are very valuable. It is a tool that students can use to improve their skills in specific areas of weakness and
sharpen their skills in specific areas of strength. The `putting together' of this magazine also offers students
the opportunity to explore career choices in such diversified fields as Photography, Journalism, Printing and
Publishing where excellence in typing, writing, research, problem-solving, and basic organization are all
essential.
In addition, and I think this is the most important educational function, SEA BREEZES is a practical ex-
perience for the students. They learn to see the relationship between effective writing and effective living.
Their words remain on the printed page forever.They are obligated to them in a way they are not obligated to
(and motivated by)term papers, essays, compositions, regents, etc.,which fall by the wayside-or at least the
garbage pile - as soon as the almighty grade is issued.
Like all folklore magazines that confine their interests to a regional milieu,SEA BREEZES is non-interpre-
tive. Value judgments and attitudes take a back seat to the demands of verisimilitude in order, hopefully, to
be authentic. The students worked hard at sniffing out the facts, compiling information, separating detail
from conjecture. Much of the material was gathered from the H.L. Ferguson Museum, the Fishers Island
Library, and from newspaper and article sources (where credibility was most under fire from our capable
staff),and from the steel-vaulted recollections of Island residents who corroborated many of the more molec-
ular details that were unsubstantiated or unavailable in print and pictures.
In this expositional method, and in this drive to be honest with the readers and with themselves, the
students displayed a sense of responsibility keener than many individuals in high regard who flaunt and
manipulate history for their own personal benefit.
SEA BREEZES is, of course, ultimately a magazine with a purpose and that purpose is Family
Entertainment, the family in this instance comprising all the residents, all the relations, all the guests and
visitors, and all the FRIENDS of a community called Fishers Island.
Enjoy and Remember. Remember. . .and Enjoy!
David Seerman, Adviser
5
CONTENTS
Page
Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Interview: E. Perry and Philip Edwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Ospreys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
FortWright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
SchoolDistrict#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Historical Map of Fishers Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Interview: Ernie Middleton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Boroleum Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Interview: Johnny Chestnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
TheUnion Chapel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Interview: Al Dawson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Ghosts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Interview: Jack Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Patrons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
6
In 1976, Mr. Charles Stepanek conducted an Oral History Project with his class. Many citizens of the Island were
interviewed, among them Perry and Phil Edwards. Both these fine gentlemen have since passed away, but their
words remain — an indelible reminder of what life was like on Fishers Island back in the GOOD OLD DA YS.
In tribute to them, and as an educational experience for us, we now give you. . .
An Interview With
PHIL AND PERRY EDWARDS
Interviewed by Cathi Jenssen and Nancy Edwards
Transcribed by Susan Pankiewicz and April White
Edited by Jill Edwards
"I Remember Dad" "That Had to be That"
Perry: Dad must have come (to live on Fishers Island) a Perry: When Dad first came to this Island, that was
few years after the Civil War because he was on about the time that the schoolhouse was built. The
the Island at the time of the Spanish-American first schoolhouse was down in the "Brickyard."
War. During that time, the government had an old The"Brickyard" was where they used to make the
iron-clad gunboat anchored half-way between bricks. I guess (about) half of New London was
New London and Fishers Island to guard the built with Fishers Island's bricks. . .and they also
Thames River and New London. I remember Dad used to ship some down to New York. The boats
saying that they probably couldn't fire the guns that came in and got them (bricks) were
because they were so rusty and dilapidated. Dad's schooners. They used to come and dock over
father (Perry and Phil's grandfather) was wound- where the duPont house is now. The "Brickyard"
ed in the leg in the Civil War; a cannonball injured was there and they got the clay out of the old clay
him for life. (Perry also mentioned later that his pits to make the bricks. They would take them,
great-grandfather was a foot soldier in the War of and bake them, and then put them on the
1812). schooners, and the schooners would sail off with
Dad came here as chief engineer of the first them wherever they had to go.
boat, which was the Munnatawket. He happened Anyway, by the time I went to school there, the
to be on the tugboat for the T.A. Scott Company primary room was at the back(of the schoolhouse
in New London at the time the Munnatawket which now serves as the Fishers Island Library.) I
came out and started her run from New London to started in there. Then I moved into the front room
Fishers Island. He (Perry's Dad) tells the story of the building for grammar grades. My teacher
about talking to Mr. T.A. Scott, who was the was Mrs. Rose. (During) the last year in grammar
owner of the tugboat (and telling Mr. Scott that) school, I went into the new schoolhouse down by
that was the job he would like to have — on the Olga's (across from the Pequot Inn.) My lessons
boat that went back and forth between New Lon- in the eighth grade were there. We had no high
don and Fishers Island. It was about a week later school on the Island then, so I went to New Lon-
that T.A. Scott came to him and said, "Chief, don to high school just like the other boys (and
would you like to be chief engineer on the Munna- girls) that graduated from grammar grades.
tawket?" And my father replied, "I sure would!" I found out that (the students) couldn't go to
"(Mr. Scott then told him to)go over there. The school in New London in the wintertime because,
other fellow quit because he didn't like Fishers half the time, the boat couldn't make it. They had
Island; (he claimed that) there was nothing to do only a small boat out at Fort Wright because some
on it." So Dad took the job, and that's how he of the army personnel had children going to high
came to live on Fishers Island. school. They tried running a boat to get them
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A 1971 photo of Fishers Island elementary students shows them standing with Mr.Ed Horning in front of the old Henry
L. Ferguson Museum. Education on Fishers Island has come a long way since Perry and Phil went to school.
there, but they found out during the bad months "I Used to Get 10¢ a Bushel"
in the year, they had to board (the students) in
New London. Perry: When I was a kid in grammar school, I used to
work in the Market Garden — that's where the
"The Munnatawket was Down" Boy Scout House is now. When I first worked
Perry: I was in and out of the Fire Department. I went in there, I used to get 10¢ a bushel to pick peas and
just after I graduated high school, and then for a stringbeans. I thought that was good money! It
while, I was out of it. I don't (recall) for what was more money than I'd make if I went caddy-
reason. Then I went back in and, of course, I'm a ing. I used to caddy, too, but when I got (the
twenty-five year member (this being at the time of garden job,) I stayed with it because it paid the
the interview, which was 1976). most money. That was in the summertime.
When I was at Fort Wright during the war - in After I got a little older, I drove a vegetable
the MCO Club - Fred Grebe came to me and wagon. (I'd)load it with vegetables in the morning
wanted to know if I'd go into the Fire District as and drive up and around the Mansion House cot-
their Secretary/Treasurer. Henry Walsh had filled tages, down towards the Fort, and all up and
the position for an awful long time. Besides, he around the Island. I used to go around and call
was ready to retire. And so I did all my years at the
Fire District as their Secretary/Treasurer. out, "VEGETABLES! VEGETABLES!" and
they'd all come out. . .and buy.
Philip: I have a brother Clarence who used to be a
fireman on the Munnatawket boat. When they
tied up in the afternoon, they had to put a hose on
the boat to fill the tanks full of water for the next
day to make steam. Well, Clarence was great at
catching peep frogs in the spring. So(one day), he
hooked the hose up to the Munnatawket to fill the
tanks and off he went to catch peep frogs. He was
so enthused about catching peep frogs that he
forgot all about the boat. When finally he did
think of it, he came back and the bow end of the
boat was down in the water. It sunk! I think he
was penalized about two weeks pay because they An old photo of Middle Farms and their milking cows.
had to get the T.H. Scott Company over to pump The farm was located just past Camp Tabor.
her out.
8
Philip: Where the Scout House is now, it used to be the Philip: There was a photography shop. (It was located)
Market Garden. They'd have crops planted(there) where John Mountzoures now owns his (fruit and
all the way over to where the American Legion is grinder)shop. There was(also)a ham store. I used
now. And everything across their way, even in- to work there for two summers. I remember the
cluding the building that's now the Fashion Hanson sisters, Olga and Elga. They had an ice
Cleaners and beyond. Well that used to be all cream parlor where the Craft Shop is now.
planted too(with)corn and tomatoes and potatoes The upstairs of (a house) Mrs. Baker (used to
— all the way down to the back of the houses by own)was the Fishers Island Farms Office Building
the beach. and underneath that was the Fishers Island Post
We used to have our potatoes delivered around Office. (The Post Office was there)until they built
the Island. . .and even watermelons. We even sold the building where it is now.
bouquets of flowers. We'd put the flowers beside Where the Post Office Building is now, there us-
us on the seat of the wagon — and you'd just sell ed to be a lake. They filled in the lake(to build the
'em. building). (It seems) that they have always had
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Roy Eldridge stands proudly in front of Henry Eldridge's delivery wagon.
Perry: Howard Best had a store. It was our first one and trouble with water in the basement. There was a
for a first one, I think it was our best store ever. It fence in front of Doyen's (which at the time was
was down where Jack Gada's office is now. There Wilbur's) so people and their horses wouldn't fall
was a store there and Henry Eldridge had a fish in the lake.
market. There (were) no clothing stores (on the
Island). You had to go to the mainland for that. "Everybody Came to the Minstrel Show"
Philip: We had a little department store that carried some Perry: We had a Grange Hall here, the old Fishers Island
shoes and little things, but nothing else. Grange #1070. The Grange Hall was located on
the top floor of what is now the Post Office build-
Perry: The store would have things in there that we'd ing. We had dances in the wintertime probably
have(to use) for 20 or 30 years. I remember(once about once a week. (We also had) box socials and
when) my Dad sent me out to get some tobacco. hayrides to the other end of the Island.We had the
The only tobacco they had left (in the store) was Minstrel Show in the Grange Hall once a year.
the twisted-rope tobacco. That's all they had left. The second floor was a dance hall(which)had a
I remember buying that for my Dad. large safe in the center; it's still there. We had
9
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built a stage on the far end. When the Minstrel The years that they had cold weather here,
Show came, I guess everybody on the whole Island they'd cut the ice down on the Middle Farm Pond.
showed up. They would also cut ice on Barlow's Pond, which
Another special event, held every year at the is where the filtration plant is now.
(Union Chapel) Church, was the big Christmas Philip: It was all fresh water at the time until the Great
ceremony on Christmas Eve. I remember the Hurricane came (in 1938) and broke the seal.
Christmas tree; it was loaded with candles — The water's brackish now. That's where they used
about 100-150 of them. They were all lit just
before the church service. We had about twelve to harvest all the ice. . .most of the ice - Right
buckets of water along the bottom of the tree in There!
case it caught fire. What a dangerous thing that Perry: Cutting their own ice saved them a lot of time,and
was! by harvesting it themselves, (it also save them) a
"Ice Harvesting" lot of money. When they harvested, everybody
worked: the crew off the boat, the painters, and
Perry: We used to buy our ice from Maine. It used to the plumbers. Everybody had to go to work then
come down by ships. There was an ice house because it only lasted a short while.
where the (Fishers Island) power plant is now.
Right next to the power plant, there used to be a Philip: During the years 1917 and 1918, the whole sea and
two-story ice house, and they had a runway to the whole Sound froze over so solid that people
take the ice from the dock up into it. . .to store it. walked from the Island to Noank and back. . .
The boat would come in from Maine and unload they were really able to do that. The Island boat
the ice onto a platform and push it on this chain wasn't able to get out; I guess the ice was four or
runway that took the ice all the way up to the ice five feet thick and was frozen solid. Sometimes
house. Then they laid the ice in there and covered (that winter), we got out our sleighs and we push-
it with sawdust and put another layer over the ed them out into the bay. It was terrific! We push-
sawdust until it filled the house. ed real hard, and then we all jumped on.
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Bartlett Cottages as it looked in the early 1900's. Perry and Phil used to deliver vegetables in and around the cottages during
the summer. In the foreground is Hay Harbor and Tennis Racket Island.
11
Indiginous Bird
..........
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The Consequence of DDT
..:<
:<. . Declination of the osprey was
thought to be causeDDTd y
` which was used in bug sprays.
Aw
The DDT got into the water,
a into fish, and worked its way into
xx
the osprey's system. The DDT af-
fected the bird's metabolism; the
eggs that were produced were soft
shelled and broke under light
pressure.
Alllf
DDT was banned in 1971-72
by the Environmental Protection
Agency in states such as New
York, Connecticut and Rhode
Island.
Researched and Written by Renee Thibodeau Photographs courteously donated by Charles Morgan
The Osprey
The osprey is very much a part of Fishers Island's "They are quite punctual," states Mr. Edwin Hor-
history. The osprey(another name is the fish hawk) is ning, an elementary science teacher at Fishers Island
a smaller version of the bald eagle. It is a brownish School. Mr. Horning also acts as curator of the
color with a white crown and stripes coming back Ferguson Museum, along with his wife, Kaye.
around his head. When full grown, the wingspan is The male osprey usually returns before the female
between 5 and 6 feet, and usually weighs about 3 and reclaims the nest that they had the year before.
pounds. On the bottom of the osprey's feet are long After a short time span, the female returns.
talons and little spicules with which he can seize and Returning Dates of Previous Years:
hold fish. 1966 March 26
The Incredible Journey 1967 March 21
At the end of summer (in September), the osprey 1969 March 23
leaves the Island and flies as far south as South 1970 March 25
America. Then they start their migration north again 1971 March 19
in the month of February, returning usually around 1972 March 16
March 21. 1973 March 18
12
Mating Season 1979 Osprey Count
Presumedly, ospreys have the same mate as long as Site Young
they're living. If one dies, they will find a new mate.
Once in a while, a male will mate with more than one Navy Station 0
female, but this is a rare event. Oyster Pond* 0
Mating takes place right in the nest, courtship North Hill 1
usually precedes the mating. The male flies high and Middle Farms Gum Tree* 0
then swoops and dives in order to impress his partner. Middle Farms#1 1
The average number of eggs that are produced are Middle Farms#2 0
three. The egg is rounder and slightly bigger than a Middle Farms#3* 0
chicken's egg. They are a chocolate-brown color. The Chocomount 1
eggs are laid in mid-April and are hatched by May. *new nest
Newborn osprey's are unornamental, very small in
size, and are almost naked, save for its small crop of 1981 Osprey Count
downy feathers. Site Young
By mid-July they have the markings of an adult
osprey and, by that time, are standing up in the nest. Navy Station 0
By August, the young osprey's have flown. Their Oyster Pond 2
wingspan is about 4 feet by the time they depart in North Hill 3
September. Middle Farms Gum Tree ?
The nest sites on the Island are: Navy Station, Middle Farms#1 0
North Hill, Oyster Pond, Chocomount, and four at Middle Farms#2 2
Middle Farms; it seems that a permanent colony is Middle Farms#3 0
Chocomount 3
forming.
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Ospreys make their nests basically out of branches(for support), twigs, paper, and seaweed. Occasionally, one can find
lobster nets, buoy ropes, rolled up underwear and ribbons.According to Mr. Horning, one nest that used to be at the airport
had a pair of pantyhose entwined into it.
13
ib
sly
By the time osprey's reach adulthood, their wingspan is between 5 and 6 feet.
"Two years ago, 1980, was our best year," said male will catch flounder, sea robin, and even
Mr. Horning. "The year before, 1979, we goldfish. He then feeds the female who, in turn, feeds
thought would be a good year because there were the young ones.
three new nests. But it wasn't as good as we thought it In August, when the young ospreys are able to fly,
would be." the mother teaches them how to fish. They are not
It was thought that the reason for this was that successful at first, but by September, when they are
there were several young couples on their trial run. on their own, they have mastered the art.
Fishing Disaster
The ospreys are entirely fish eaters. Occasionally, One summer in mid-July, the nest on North Hill
they will take something small like a frog or mouse. was set on fire by a thunder storm. The lines were
The osprey hovers over a shallow area of water, short circuited by the lightning and began to burn.
and looks for its victim. Once they spot a fish, they The firemen went to the site and put out the fire. The
dive down and sink their talons in them. One of their ospreys had flown to a nearby pole to escape death.
favorite kinds of fish is flounder. Sometimes ospreys The next day, the power company men took the burnt
have drowned because they capture something too wood off of the pole and raised a platform for the
big. nest.
The young ospreys are mainly fed by the mother, The birds came back and rebuilt their nest, which is
while the father goes out and hunts for food. The now one of our best.
14
(FORT VWV RIG HT
Researched and Written by Willie Pendleton
Fishers Island is First Recognized Connecticut, and Massachusetts National Guards. The
Citizens of New London and the surrounding districts Eleventh Coast Artillery was stationed at Fort Wright and,
first recognized the strategical position of Fishers Island in because of the placements of the big 12" guns, became the
1704. In that year, a signal beacon was erected upon decisive seacoast defense position for the area.
Mount Prospect(now called Prospect Hill)to give warning Fort Wright was named in honor of Brigadier General
of any enemy vessels approaching that part of Long Island Horatio Governor Wright. The full name of the base was
Sound. Over the ensuing centuries, more and more value Fort H.G. Wright. The osprey, or fishhawk, because of its
was placed upon Fishers Island, first as an early warning natural predilection for Fishers Island, was commissioned
defense-outpost, and then as an ideally suited site for a as mascot to the fort.
defense fortification.
One of Fort Wright's premier responsibilities was to
Land for Fort Wright is Bought protect the U.S. Submarine Base and Shipyard in New
On October 22, 1898, the federal government purchased London with its Monster cannons. It was reported that
261 acres of land on the west end of Fishers Island for the each cannon could toss a one-ton bomb (Bombs are
establishment of a seacoast defense fortification. By 1902, measured in explosive power. A one-ton bomb is
Fort Wright was constructed together with Fort Terry equivalent to one ton, or 2,000 pounds of TNT.) up into
(located on Long Island) and Fort Mickey (located on the air past Montauk Point, an excursion of 16-20 miles.
Plum Island). They formed what was called the "harbor Fort Wright had six such Monster cannons stationed
defenses" and also acted as a training center for new along the Island coastline and had smaller cannons posted
recruits in conjunction with the New York, Rhode Island, all along the southern portions of the Island that were just
as effective.
L-nii,Al .-Ii
WON
<i
•
The 6"rifle cannon shown here lifted above the pit ready to fire.
15
yy;
lillo
;H;;'!`�";`�"?
£..
Mortar cannon at "Mosquito Hollow," now the dumping site for all metal refuse including wrecked cars.
No One Was Hurt A balloon unit was always part of the fort. The soldiers
The type of cannon Fort Wright had was called a Peek- in this unit were in charge of manning the blimp. This
A-Boo cannon. This cannon could lay low inside a pit out blimp had a hangar that was located in a field next to the
of sight. After the cannon was loaded and ready to be fort theater across from Officer Housing. If there was
fired, it would rise above the pit and discharge its shell. On trouble, the blimp was to be floated out over the water in
one occasion, the cannon fired before the barrel cleared order to locate enemy submarines and other alien vessels.
the pit; however, the artillerymen never used real ex- Many people gathered to watch the blimp take off and
plosives in their drills, so no one was hurt. The pits these land during its many scheduled training flights.
cannons sat in are currently being used as "dump" sites
for Island :...
and refuse.
>.r
€A
t<h
<::¢:
Fort Wright
t
<<
Island residents iven occasional tours of the fort
were given
grounds ac
round n facilities whenever never there was a respite in the
drills and maneuvers. Island residents were welcomed to all
thebowling 11 k
facilities such as the PX, the bakery, the bo g a ey, »;, s;,;;;.
'!
the movie theater, and all the various recreation rooms
that were available.
During World War Il, there was the ever-present threat
of enemy ships entering the Thames River. Fort Wright
mounted more cannons along the coast - smaller cannons.
Anti-aircraft guns were also stationed on the fort grounds
to beef up the defense and to guard against trouble on, or
under the Sound. Entrance to Fort Wright.
16
A
:
a 1
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v:
.ry%sz:sb
v.
n.
P
A single-engine Army plane turned upside down by the Hurricane of 38. In the background are some of the houses the soldiers used to live in.
The Men Were Ready
There were 1,000 men year 'round manning both the
large and small cannons. Fortunately, there wasn't any
real combat situation, so the heavy military hardware re-
mained docile throughout all its years' availability. ToXi
keep in practice though, the Submarine Base would send
subs to do maneuvers with the Army over at Fort Wright
and the artillerymen would practice loading and aiming the
cannons at the subs. One reason the Army didn't discharge
their Monster cannons during drills was because of the
sound they made. It was so loud, the plaster would fall off
the ceilings of civilian homes and the windows would rat-
tle.
Nets to Protect Groton
.
In the event that an enemy shipx`
got through the line of
fire from the three forts, a very strong steel net was stretch-
ed across the mouth of the Thames River. This would stop
any enemy's approach and possibly capture the invading
vessel. Two boats on each end of the net would lower the An anti-aircraft gun in action.
net down deep into the water in order to allow for passage
of ships and ferries in and out of the river.
17
Fort Wright had a song that went like this:
REGIMENTAL SONG
ELEVENTH COAST ARTILLERY
There's no foe that dares to defy us,
On the land, or sea, or in air.
Where duty calls you will find us,
Faithful, anywhere.
Night and day we're vigilant guardians,
Ever watchful, daring, bold, are we,
And we will e'er be loyal,
And ever stride to be,
The pride of all the Army,
The Eleventh Artillery.
Marching along we sing of our prowess,
Of the history that we have made.
Of the conquests lying before us,
Forward, we're unafraid.
To our duty we will be faithful,
Marching always on to victory,
And we will e'er be loyal,
And ever stride to be,
The pride of all the Army,
The Eleventh Coast Artillery.
Fort Wright is Torn Down
In the 1950's, Fort Wright was disassembled
because there weren't any defensive uses for it
anymore. The land was auctioned off bit by bit, and
the big guns — the Monster cannons — were sold to
steel companies in order to be melted down for other
purposes.
1
''+4v
The crew of men who operated the 12"guns. In this photograph, the cannon is shown lying below the pit to
be loaded.
18
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Cal, Z��
Q C/j 6'elf-
r C���o.-�-•.sG � �. cL
a.�✓Y /�
Above is a photocopy of the first entry ever made into the Records book of the Fishers Island
School District.
"On the twentieth day of March, 1884, a petition Research and written by Susan Pankiewicz and
of the citizens of Fishers Island was presented to April White.
one of the School Commissioners of Suffolk
County asking that Fishers Island be made a
seperate school district."
So begins the opening page of the official Records School House(to be built of wood) . . . .$700.00
Book of School District #18, Town of Southold, Suffolk Paid for Lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 75.00
County, New York. Before the petition was approved (on Paid Abram Gifford for Grading . . . . .$ 75.00
April 5, 1884), children living on Fishers Island were either Paid for Carrying Teacher
taught at home or given some kind of informal instruction (Transportation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 32.00
at a designated house near the Fishers Island Brickyard. Paid for Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 36.45
No official high school credits could be given, so, as a Paid for Teacher's Wages. . . . .. . . . . . .$156.47
result, no official diplomas were awarded. With the ap- Paid for 2,000 Bricks and Carting . . . . .$ 25.25
proval of the petition, which was composed by Mr. Paid for 4,000 lbs. of Coal . . . . . . . . . . .$ 14.00
William A. Hedge (who later became the school's first Paid for Recording Deed $ 2.31
Chairman and Librarian), that all changed. A schoolhouse Paid for Cement and Lime
was deliberated upon and finally built in 1888, ". . . to ac- for Foundation $ 4.72
commodate (as the Record states) sixty scholars." Paid for Blasting Rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 5.00
The following excerpt is from the 1888 Tax Collector's Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$126.20
Report. It is the "approved" list of building and operating
costs of the first Fishers Island School:
19
In 1904, another room was added, and a second teacher partly out of concern for the condition of the school and
engaged. The principal at that time was Miss Katherine the safety of the students, many people felt there was a
Herber, who initiated a grading system in the school that need for a new school building. Educational consultants
conformed to the guidelines established by the New York were hired and in 1969, Engelhardt and Engelhardt, Inc.
State Board of Education. published the Survey of School Building Needs of Fishers
Because of the steady climb in population, a new site Island. In Section 4 of that book, under the heading of
was purchased in order to construct a new shcool house "Recommendation," they said the following:
that would accommodate the rising number of students. Based upon a study of the school building and
The new school house was completed in 1916 at a cost of enrollments, the consultants recommend strongly the con-
$17,800.00. This facility had four classrooms, one of struction of a new school to house the student population
which served as the administration office. The old school of Fishers Island Union Free School District No. 4. This
house was converted into a library which still is very much should be a fireproof(Class A) building. The recommen-
in use today. dation is based essentially upon two factors:
In 1925, the district was changed from a "Common
District" to a "Union Free District(#4)" and a high school 1. The present spaces are only SO percent adequate for
department was added which served eight students. Prior the years ahead.
to that, students eligible to enter high school commuted to 2. The present spaces are contained in an old, non-fire-
New London for classes, lodging out in the winter, resistive building on a small site.
whenever foul weather prevented the ferry from making its The survey also indicated the following deficiences in the
normal runs. A few years later, in the interests of produc- old school building:
tive education, an auditorium and a gymnasium were add- — There was limited parking
ed to the school house, enabling students to partake in a — The classrooms were too small
wide variety of extracurricular activities. — The classrooms had exposed radiators
The highest student population was 132 during World — There was a lack of storage space
War II. When the Fort Wright area was closed, the school — The library was understocked and inadequate
population slowly decreased. Partly as a result of this and — Doors from the classrooms opened into the hallway
a
^r
' Yl
:
The auditorium in the old school.
20
The design of the school is very modernistic, and has
many interesting factors including open classrooms and
many a extra windows.nd
o s. Recen 1
Y� solar panels els wer installed
ed
to help keep heating costs down.
All of the building materials were taken from the
mainland to the Island by the ferry except for the steel
I'
° beams that support the ceiling of the gymnasium, which
came from an old army warehouse. Costs were kept down
by using rooms for more than one purpose. For example,
the gymnasium also serves as an auditorium and a
cafeteria.
l
y+y f
Z
:q
Thr'
s was the second school
on the Island
called the Old
School. It was torn down.)
A new building was designed and constructed and in
September of 1972, it was first occupied with students :':
ranging in age from kindergarten to senior high school.
The school is located on a seven acre site that used to be
part of Fort Wright.
The new school was designed to accommodate a max-
imum of 150 students, and currently has 24 classrooms, a
medical and guidance office, gymnasium, auditorium, and
administrative offices.
When the school was first built, there were 113 students
enrolled. Now, ten years later, there are approximately 50
students left. However, a slow rise in the population is
soon expected. The residents and students of Fishers Island are proud of
The school cost$1,270,000 to build and was financed by their school and hope that it can be successfully used for
the Island residents with no federal aid. It was designed by many years to come in the same manner that it is being
Charles King and Associations of Hartford. used now.
�a
w
s
a;v,<
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3xs
(The first school building on Fishers Island was built in 1888. It is now the public library.)
21
11�Iansion House-%: North Dumpling Light EpiccofaL Church Isabella Beach Our Lady-'or Grace Church
I Q�_ RVPI LAI-
r-• ,� u.. ..`.F �Yi9'tSd]1��+.�lritfd�1 4. \\�bi,�
U bi•e►1'y
Poct Chapel
d 50
_,rg1d Fast Pt.l
49 Opp Hog hers Isle" lV/
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finr
14
Union: Chapet riot-, On Pt. �� � Race Bock
10rJ 1
Jf i eCnve
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l5 ichers Island was discovered in 1541 by Captain - _ - 7
0 sabella'liea-ch l
a i3 15 Adrian Block a Dutch navigator.Governor John
Coast Guard 3 Fire House
Qtatiori 6 5 Winthrop purchased it from the Indians in 1644. 1
Galea and shipwreck-;,pirate; and wars have contributed
Scale
6 to its history.Those who know the Island are
e Pt• -t m e y y
'e yG• �ht �/ charmed b its natural beauty and are drawn to
fort ¢s it as were the first settlers over three hund:•ed ?
IWO
years ado.... . .. -_ -
�„. Long /s/end
7
t4
post OFFice "�a at•` Winthrop Housa Wreck of the`Atlantic" 1846 Weaf Harbor Docl:
01
zu
22 23
"WITH A LIT'L PATIENCE"
An Interview with Ernie Middleton
Transcribed and Introduced by Willie Pendleton
Photographs by Willie Pendleton
Always busy with his hands and with his mind, you can about the "good old days" on Fishers Island and his
usually find Ernie Middleton deeply involved in one hobby reminiscing proved not only enjoyable, but extremely
or another. Whether constructing one of his breathtaking- educational as well.
ly realistic models or nursing an old automobile or lawn He started out by describing Island life when he was a
mower back to health, Ernie is a man committed to keep- kid, and how he'd always be over at Fort Wright, the old
ing busy. It's part of his basic philosophy. centerpiece of amusement and activity for the children of
When I first entered Ernie's home for this interview, I the Island back then. After a while, he brought me around
was greeted with a hearty handshake, a broad smile, and a and showed me some more of his models and allowed me
couple of jokes that reflected his unique, salty sense of to photograph them. Then he brought me to his garage
humor. I felt at home right away. which was chock full of old lawn mowers, tools, and
After the introductions, we walked through his modest, motorbikes in various stages of refurbishment. And it was
but nicely furnished, house on a quick tour and then here, among the debris of these scattered, seemingly
entered his living room where we settled down for our unusable things that Ernie was miraculously restoring, that
interview. It was in this room that I first saw his impressive I learned about the spirit of the man and about the purpose
collection of carefully built model ships and cars. and value of this magazine: to give history, and the things
I spent about three hours listening to Ernie recollect that make up history, a chance to live again.
kn.
Ernie's red M.G.parked in front of the Hay Harbor Golf Course. Badly burned in afire, it took Ernie three years to
rebuild. A job well done!
24
"There Would Never Be Any Winners, Understand" we'd play basketball. We used to play the barracks down
there. Each barracks would have a team and we'd play
"When I first come to the Island was in, ahh. . . I think them and we'd have like a little league going; it was fun.
it was in 1925. I was 11 years old. . . I spent a lot of time The kids never had a baseball team, although the Fire
down there at Fort Wright. Had a lot of friends who were Department did, and they'd play the barracks. But us kids
there. . . kids, I mean, I went to school with. Their fathers used to get out there and play. Yeah, we'd pick up teams,
were sergeants; I knew everyone down there. ahh. . . I'd be maybe on Shrimp's Team and they'd have
When I was a kid I used to live in the barracks; I used to another team,Joe's Team, something like that. We'd do it
be down there all the time. In fact, they used to have what that way for just playing. That's all. The baseball field be-
they call the Smokers for us down there. They used to give ing right next to the movie theater, and that field didn't
us boxing gloves and kids from the Island would get up have a twig on it. The grass was cut just as nice as could be.
there and we'd box down there and they, oh gosh, they'd They'd do all their marching on that big field."
have soda and sandwiches. Everything! There would never "you Could See Them Firing"
be any winners, understand. Every fight would be a draw.
You'd get prizes sometimes - $2.00 or $3.00 maybe or There also used to be tugboats pulling targets for the big
somethin' like that. You'd have them quite often, and, oh guns to shoot at. I used to go down and watch them all the
gosh, we'd know all the soldiers down there — the time. They wouldn't let you too close, but you could get on
sergeants." a hill or a mound of ground and you could see the target
boats way out there. You could see them firing the guns at
'em; you could see the bullet. . . ah, the shell, landing in
the water. It would make a splash. . . and of course they
never hit the target, and I swear they came pretty close to
the boat pulling the target a few times.
"I Would Read A Lot"
In the wintertime, we'd play basketball at the school;
wasn't much to do. We'd go sleddin' down Prospect Hill;
of courst, it's the golf course now, but we'd do that a lot,
ah. . . and we didn't get into any trouble though. I'd do an
awful lot of reading, I'd go to the library, get books and
read. There wasn't much television or no radio; there
wasn't much else you could do. You could go to parties at
different fellas homes, and just reading before goin' to
bed. Mostly, that's all.
Of course you'd never had cars when you were sixteen
Y
rsixteen, w r
LAUG
HTER. You
et a ca at you were
gY
something.
"I'd Buy My Own School Clothes"
During the summer people would come down the Island
looking for caddies and I'd work up there, save up about
$75.00. Of course, back then, $75.00 was a lot of money,
and I'd buy my own school clothes.
Ernie stands in front of his house ready for another day's
. . .... ... .............................
work.
"Fresh Bread and Rolls"
"The bake shop was the favorite place to hang out;
that's where we used to hang out all the time. . . nice fresh
bread and rolls and everythin' else. Then we'd scoot up to
the barracks and get some butter and we'd h v a e a great
� �:;::; -•:.,�:v
time over there. We used to eat down there the biggest part ..
i....r:4':e::;
of the time—eat right there in the mess hall with the guys o 3
and everything. It was great, sure!"
We Used to Play the Barracks. . . "
"That's where all the kids be. We'd play baseball down
there and everything else. There'd be an awful lot of Shown here is a hand-built, hand-painted model of the Robert
sergeants down there with their kids and we'd, ahh. . . E. Lee.
25
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This is one of the tall ships Mr. Middleton built.
"I Like to Build Things" "On the Beach"
On my spare time, I like to build models or fix things up. And we'd be on the beaches an awful lot combin'
You could say it's a hobby. Sure, that's what I like to do. (beachcombing). And we had parties on the beach. First,
In fact, I built my red MG. That car was burned in a fire we'd get wood; the best place to get it would be on the
and anything that would burn, burned. But I took this car beach (driftwood). Then we'd meet at night on the beach,
and ah. . . it took me three years, but, with a lit'l patience, then play games like Capture the Flag and we'd roast marsh-
I got it running as if it were new, maybe better. There's mallows, drink soda, and we'd just have fun!
been other cars, motorbikes, lawnmowers I fixed. Ooh
yeah, there's a few jobs I couldn't fix. But that don't mat- "Everyone Knows Each Other"
ter. I just go on to the next.
<<
I had avery nice life on the Island,
very nice life. I
wouldn't
chan a anything. Enjoyed every minute of it
�..
every minute. . .they were a11
good times. I got married
here, r i
raised a family e I would d n v
her l never haveleft e t. . . I
wouldn't know how to live any place else. It's nice and
't quiet here; everybody seems to look out for everyone else
here. Everybody knows each other. Of course, it's a little
rugged in the summertime. I saw the Island grow up a
whole lot. I worked at the power plant for quite a while.
Came here in 1925 and I been here ever since. Raised two
kids. They moved off the Island but Ernie, Ernie (talking
about his son) you couldn't get off to save your neck,
cause he don't want to go anyplace else. He just loves it
Here's a hand-made model of Ernie's larger M.G. here. It's a great place."
26
Researched and Written by Krista Jenssen
A cool wing rushes off the ocean, across the golf course, This factory, being the only one of its kind in the world,
and engulfs a quaint building much resembling a garage. produces a miraculous ointment intended to relieve nasal
This discreet building has actually been a well-established discomfort due to sinus, head colds, and hay fever. Over
business since 1919. The formal title of the company is the years it also proved to be useful in relieving minor skin
SINCLAIR PHARMACAL COMPANY, INC.,but to the irritations, chapped lips and hands, and cold sores.
people of Fishers Island it is The Boroleum Factory.
1111g:1 :1 R11
AW
4{,,kyno.
4�
0.v
4�
Q owco
:?4,.i.:>:v::e:v ..,..,.n.:.v::.vRv:4:n�:::::::.:n:...nom• ..:.:.;.;:. '':.:'.;.4�:
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:t
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3G: '�'k•
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Here is a picture of the only Boroleum Factory in the world. It is located opposite of Prospect Hill and South Beach.
27
The formula for Boroleum was originated by a German
chemist who operated from his own lab. It was a small
business. Boroleum was sold mainly through physicians
and by prescription with no advertising except in profes-
sional publications. In 1919 the Sinclair Pharmacal Co.,
Inc. was formed and incorporated in New York State. A
Registered Trademark was obtained and is still in effect to-
day. Harold A. Sinclair was the first President of the
Board of Directors. The plant was located on Cortland
Street in New York City until 1950.
n.
..:.:.:.
.....
c a
.: :. .:
' �%� A9:LYS R;xd 3C Y2;::➢�(.R
t
The Boroleum machine in action. Tubes are auto-
matically rotated and filled with Boroleum after the
kettle the top piece)heats and mixes the ingredients.
' Isar it.U. ..,;
<:;:.::.:::.:::> In 1950 there were a number of suspicious fires in the
......_:::;.;:;.:;:;..:: p
neighborhood and it was decided to move to Fishers Island
> .
where a garage was remodeled to serve as the only
Boroleum Factory in the world! All of the tubing and mix-
ing equipment was shipped over on the Ferry and the pro-
duction of Boroleum was back on the road again!
"�. '.: Today the company is operated by the Board of Direc-
tors of which Mrs. Donald W. Sinclair is President and in-
cludes Donald W. Sinclair, Jr. and Scudder H. Sinclair.
The operation of the Factory and office is run by Mrs.
Catherine Jenssen as general manager with the help of part
time employees. Tubes are shipped by Ferry from the Shef-
field Tube Corporation of New London, and other ingre-
"`"` dients and supplies are shipped from Connecticut and New
York as in the past. The formula is prepared under medical
supervision.
Boroleum is not just a local product. It is shipped to
many places all over the world such as France, Canada,
and Hawaii. There are often letters in the mail asking
Empty tubes wait in line to be filled with Boroleum. whether Boroleum is still being made or not and, of
course, the answer is Yes!
Boroleum is alive and well, and living on Fishers Island!
28
I
We start here:
. .........
,
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r;Y
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..:.:..:..
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.. ...
. . .. .....
.........
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.....:::nen' ./:::.r'•r':ni..irrri;::>;r'.r:•:y::�::;!•,i`..::
...... ........
............ .
. ........
>>;
An Interview With
Johnny Chestnut (Amsacimowicz
Interviewed by Cathi Jenssen and Nancy Edwards
Transcribed by Stephen Grotton
Original Article Typed by Dina White
Additional information supplied by Mrs. Laura Edwards and Mrs. Dorothy Edwards
29
"We Start Here"
Well, first of all, we talk about the farms. We start here!
I don't know whether many people recall it or not, but the
main road by the navy property used to go right next to g
where the Horns live, you see, and the area from there and
all of the navy property was all chickens (and chicken
houses) up along these parts, you know — like you see on
the mainland today. These long chicken houses, well, they C :.
had them here, you know. They grew their own chickens
and had their own eggs and that's going back, I'd say, 50 ..
years, so I don't know what happened. . .maybe a storm. I
think a storm clobbered most of these long houses. After
that it was used as a dog kennel. They salvaged one of the
houses and for a while they used it as a dog kennel.
Then you go further up the Island which is now Camp
Tabor; that was the dairy farm. This is where the milk for The Mansion House as it looked before it was torn down. The house portion on
the Island came from. . .from there. You go further up the the right still remains, though the big elm in front of it was cut down last year.
Island to Middle Farms and there I think they used that as
a breeding farm, and also they had hogs there and then, of
course, I don't know whether anybody else remembers it, was because they did have some milk cows up there, but I
but on both sides of the road, there used to be corn—they think that was mostly for feed. In other words, they raised
planted corn! That's where they got all their fodder for them for their own use. This is where you get the Fishers
their cattle; also for their hogs and pigs and that! Island Farms thing that I was talking about.
When I was a boy, I used to go up there and the farmer The Army Post had their own dairy farm where you see
used to let me ride the horses when they were plowing. I Gada's tank from there by Silver Eel Pond. Well, they had
spent weekends up there and, of course, the horse liked it, a dairy farm there and they, you know, they got their own
and so did I. (Giggling.)But then the other farm was up by milk from their own farm; they had the army here. Oh, I
the Winthrop House. Now I don't know what they called guess as for the farms, that's all I can remember about
that one; I think they called that the East End Farm. That that.
.:::.. .....:...
w
..... ..................... ..........................................
..:.......
.4
Middle Farm bordered by rows of corn growing proud in the mid-summer sun.
30
L
,.: ,f� IU�lrr'JII1If�r �
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ii
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is >:
Ilk
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5 ;
ff�
The regal Mononotto Inn.
"They Used to Come to Fishers Island Then" "This Was the Way"
The Fishers Island Farms ran the ferry. It was called I guess other people have told you about,the three hotels
Fishers Island Navigation Company and they had two, that were here. Well, you had the Munnatawket Hotel —
docks. In the wintertime, they used the dock just off the that was where (Mrs.) Henry Walsh has her house now,
power plant. In the summertime, they had the dock where and that was quite a large hotel, and then you had the
Henry Walsh tied his boat up; they had more fare, and this Mononotto Inn that sat on the hill between Gada's house
is what they used in the summertime because it was short to and what is now Wilmerding's Estate. Then you had the
run. Also, it was larger to accommodate the people who Mansion House, you see, which is just up above from the
came over here. ball diamond. They catered to three different classes of
They used to come to Fishers Island then. Then you people. In other words, in those days, you could tell
didn't have the houses that you have today, so everybody wealth; I would (have to) say that. Teachers and nurses
stayed at the hotels. There were no cars other than, say. . . and others in the. . .say, lower income tax brackets, would
three of four, and a guy ran a taxi. He did a land office stay in the Munnatawket Hotel. The Mononotto Inn
business. He took people from hotels to the golf course catered mostly to the manufacturers,lawyers, doctors,and
(and) to the beach there. That's about all I can tell you that there. I mean, this is. . .I'm going back fifty years;
about that. this was the way! Then there was the Mansion House, of
course. If you stayed at the Mansion House, you were real-
ly affluent-so to speak. Now this is the way it was. I don't
know what happened between the Depression and World
"These Storms Changed All That War 11 when the army took over the Island. Then, of
With the three hotels, they had bath houses at Munna- course — that clobbered the tourist thing
tawket Beach. There was a whole line of bath houses down
the whole length of the beach — you know, for the use of +
the hotel guests. That beach used to be white, a nice beach,
but over theeasr these storms changed t
an d 11 h
they
ears a at.
Another place that they had an elaborate bath house at
was down near the first green at the Hay Harbor Golf
Course. It wasn't on the firstg reen it was on the beach. It 4' ::>.
n.
was a two-story structure where the bottom of the ground
floor was all bath houses and the second story was like a
picnic area in case it rained. It had tables and all that where Albert Baker posing in front of a Fishers Island Farms delivery
you could go spend a day and have a picnic lunch. wagon.
31
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Made in the shade! The South Beach bathing houses.
"Apple Trees" your foods underneath and. . .but anyway, this is where
I don't know; they probably had more orchards (on the they stored it. How they kept it — I think it was with
sawdust. Anyways, they always managed to have enough
Island)then I can recall, but the ones that I remember were ice to last 'till the next winter - And it was all done by
the three that I used to go to when I was a boy and get a hand! I know when I was a boy in school during ice cutting
bellyache from eating green apples during the summer. time, I used to get out of school and run up to the Brick-
there right up to Dick Edward's house by the edge of the
One of them was where Jimmy Peishoff's house is— from yard just to drive, you know, have the pleasure of driving
the horses down to the ice house and I'd make a trip back
road. That whole hollow in there was all apple trees, and, with them. It wasn't any big deal— the horse knew where
as I say, I got many a bellyache from eating the green ap- to go. It's just (giggling) the idea of holding the rein. . .it
ples there. Then another orchard was where Waddington's was really something tremendous, you know, (to) a kid
house and store is — right from the road right clean back seven, eight years old.
to just underneath the Episcopal Church. That was all ap-
ple trees in there. That was all apple trees! "Trapping Muskrats"
In those days when you got-to be eight or nine years old,
"Come Around 'Bout Twice a Week" the first thing you got was a half a dozen muskrat traps.
Every winter they had an ice house. One ice house was Practically everybody went muskrat hunting(and), like to-
up at where Templeton's (used to own their) house. Well, day, they had the Civic Association give you these feeding
they had one ice house there; the other ice house was where stations. Anytime that you caught a wharf rat, which is
the power plant is now. Every winter, they all would go out like, you see, a regular house rat, you cut the tail off and
and "saw" the ice up by hand with these big saws and load you got ten cents for each tail. In other words, you (could
them in. They'd fill that house up at Middle Farms first, imagine that you) were trapping for muskrats. Used to be
and then they would bring it down and, of course, I guess in those days sixty to seventy cents a pelt which was, you
they must of had a lot of harsher winters because they know, big money. But they did give you a bonus if you
always filled both houses up with,you know, this ice. They took the pelts— the muskrat pelts—over to the mainland
used to cut them up in hundred pound cakes and then store and you took your wharf rat tails over to the Fishers Island
them in the summertime, (then) the ice wagon would come Farm's Office where they gave you a dime for each one.
around. You could buy cuts for forty or fifty cents apiece Well, you have to remember that in those days, a dime
and the guy would chop off whatever you wanted. He went a lot further than it does today. In a sense, this is the
would come around 'bout twice a week. Course you had way they kept the rat population down, O.K.? That's all I
your old ice boxes where you put it in the top and you had can tell ya!
32
(6ramma
TS akier
on the
3A n t'6' ]a n a .e
Recorded by Cathi Jenssen and Nancy Edwards
Transcribed and Typed by Renee Thibodeau
Gramma Baker was 81 when she passed away in
November of 1978. Everyone who knew her was deeply
saddened by her death. She was a remarkable woman and
was pleasant to all the residents of Fishers Island. :
CREATION OF THE UNION CHAPEL
"A small group of people living on the Island thou ht a
year 'round (Protestant) church ch should be here. The
°�.
Catholic and Episcopal churches were the only ones here, tv
and the latter closed after Labor Day. Ministers and
speakers, who were summer residents, took care of the ser-
vices. A chapel was started in 1889, and in 1890, it was com-
pleted. The property on which the church stood was given
by the Ferguson brothers."
"Students came to preach from Yale Divinity School,
Harvard Seminary, and some students came from New
London."
"Reverend Elmer Page stayed here several years.
Reverend John Vandergraph, from Pennsylvania, his suc-
cessor, also stayed several years until his former church
asked him to return. Having been asked by Mr. Cook from
Yale, he(Rev. Vandergraph)hosted Sunday school, but he
didn't realize how much would be involved starting the
first United Church lessons."
THE ANGEL
"The first Christmas, a little girl came running into(the)
church saying, "I want to be an angel! 1 want to be an
angel!' Her mother had sent her to the Chapel Christmas
party to learn to be an angel. Luckily, we had an extra pair
of wings. After that, she came to Sunday School quite Here is Gramma and Pa Baker, with their grand-
often until the family left the Island." daughter, Penny.
33
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s
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a
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r:.
a
This is the present Union Chapel, which was built in 1967. Reverend W. Lloyd Williams has services year 'round.
LOSSES
"The faithful Sunday School teachers were Mrs.
William Hedge, Mrs. Oswald, Mr. Ahman, and Jack
Bowles. A great loss to the Chapel was the sudden death of
Mrs. Ruby Key in 1960, who gave unselfish time as
organist and choir director for 18 years. Then came Mr.
�v
Baker sdeath. He had been a Sunda School teacher and
treasurer.
'of!.
o^k;
hM1
a•"
i
Y
.Y
0
R
+';�.,�.>�....« ..R.+.....:........:. . The loss of (the) Union Chapel by fire on September
w r r 11 h 1 r i
�;;at%�' ''�l��....,�;:f� .��:, ': �> a�k;„.�• 27, 1965, as a great tragedy to a the Island. M . William
Kennedy, (a) retired Naval officer, was minister, but was
not on the Island at the time of the disaster.
<. :>.<:<;>>.:" <:<:>;>�; ; "After much deliberation, it was decided to rebuild(the)
Union Chapel on a new site. Dedication of the new church
and ordination of Douglass Sperry took place on Satur-
day,
at r-
day, September 16, 1967. David Thomas (was made) the
pastor andspent four years here. He was in charge of the
Union Chapel when (it) joined (the) New London Con-
<" ference of United Christ Congregational."
After the departure of Rev. Thomas came Rev. Lloyd
The original Union Chapel was established in 1889,and was Williams who has been here for approximately six years.
destroyed by fire in 1965.
34
Sometbikv &Mr,
S .®met Different
An Interview with Al Dawson
f
3 u
e
Before Mr. Dawson can begin constructing a toy, he must draw up plans. Here he is holding the plans
and pieces that will soon become a high chair.
Transcribed and typed by Renee Thibodeau He then showed me the work he was doing on the cottage,
Photographs by Jeanine Edwards and the sea wall he had built himself. It was a truly
remarkable job; it took 5 years. It seemed almost flawless.
After this, he brought me to his workshop, which is
located in the cellar of his house.
Albert Dawson first set his eyes on Fishers Island in As I bent down to go through the door, I caught my first
1942. After that day, he came back frequently to do con- glimpse of the workbenches and woodstacks. Mr. Dawson
struction work on some houses. In 1969, Mr. Dawson and had been working on a small paddle boat and showed me
his family made their permanent residence here. the process of putting one together.
Then he brought me to a back room, which acts as a
I had always been interested in hand-made toys. This was storehouse for his finished products. Among the collection
my opportunity to find out the procedure first hand from a was birdhouses, Christmas tree ornaments, toy trucks, and
man who spent many years making toys for a hobby. puzzles. A bowling pin lamp was the first thing that caught
It was a beautiful, sunny day as I walked down his my eye. According to Mr. Dawson, it was one of his
driveway. The fresh smell of paint came from the small hardest projects because a hole had to be drilled down
cottage on the right, which Mr. Dawson leases out in the through the center of the pin so that the fixture could fit in.
summer.
Mr. Dawson was waiting at the front door with a smile Doing this article with Mr. Dawson was enjoyable
on his amiable face. "Come on in!" he shouted jovially. because of the warm and friendly feelings he projects. It is
He showed me around his house, which is medium size and people like him who make a community like Fishers Island
very comfortable, and he gave me a tour of his property. interesting.
35
I
Onlytrouble w h h directions
s
a that the d ect ons weren t right in it. If
3 3y° i
you made it that way, it wouldn't have worked. I probably
a made fifty of those over the years. I also got into doll cribs
and doll high chairs and stuff. And my mattress factor
01
$ k: was Mrs. Peishoff(who used to work) down at the school.
She makes all the pillows and mattresses for me. That
makes them a lot more popular, I think. And, the other
em
things that I've been making are boy toys like fire engines,
XX
trucks that tilt, and cranes that pick up things. And I've
�2 made little puzzles like the little peg puzzles and a small
child's game called Pound the Peg. You pound them one
way, then turn them over and pound them back again.
(However,) they never seemed to be too popular here. My
: .. daughter, when she was a little girl, used to play with that
thing day and night practically. . .in fact, too much!"
IN
s.
,.:..
Here are some of Mr. Dawson's finished products. Included are
Christmas ornaments, wooden boats and trucks, a doll crib and
to the far right, a centerpiece made out of pine cones.
Working for the Ladies'Auxiliary
"I started woodworking way back when I first retired up °' j
here. The Ladies' Auxiliary from the Union Chapel was
having annual sales. They wanted other things than the
handwork that they had, you know, like embroideries and
things. So then I was making bird houses and bird feeders.
One of the most popular ones was a log about two inches
in diameter that had holes in it that you put peanut butter
in and hung on a tree."
Branching Out
"The next thing that I branched out into was some hang-
ing baskets of different sizes that you hang from the ceil-
ing, outside or inside. I got that idea from one that Mrs.
Norton had up at her house. I copied that one, sort of. I
always think I improve them, but sometimes I don't."
On the left is a completed high chair, and on the right, a high
TOYS chair to which Mr. Dawson is adding the finishing touches.
"Then I decided to make a big doormat; I had pur- My Favorite Things
chased one through Yankee (Magazine). It was an outside "My favorite things to make are the little paddle boats;
doormat called a mud mat. So I made a couple of those there're kind'a fun. I'm making a couple more right now
and they were so popular. . . I made probably ten of them —just for fun. And also I'm making a lot of little tiny or-
that first year. And, about that time, the Ladies' Auxiliary naments for Christmas trees, but they're little tiny minia-
stopped having their sales; that's why I got interested in ture things: little Christmas trees, little bull's eyes - about
making little toys for children. And now I go through all an inch and a half high - little locomotives that are only
the magazines and things and look at all the toys that are in about an inch and a half long with an eye for a headlight,
there and start with those, usually. little sheds, tiny wheelbarrows filled with wood that hang
One of the first groups I made was little Volkswagons on the tree. They're loads of fun.
and what we called pull toys. I made a whole group of the But most of these you can start working on then you
boats that go in the bathtub. . .paddle wheel boats. That find something you can do a little better. And the next one
idea came from a senior citizen's magazine that came here. you make is always a little bit different."
36
W = # 0
.31,Eof
Researched and written by Jeanine Edwards.
In my article, I have retold a few of the many ghost
stories of Fishers Island. I gathered information by inter-
viewing islanders who had either made contact with or
heard about these strange apparitions. I have not used the
names of homeowners or storytellers in order to preserve An acquaintance of one of these phantoms involves a
the anonymity and, consequently, the privacy of these fine newcomer to the Island. Mona (not her real name) and a
people. friend were looking about some of the interesting houses
The facts have not been altered or distorted in any man- up the Island. When they came to a particularly eye-
ner. People on the Island are loathe to discuss ghost catching one, Mona decided to look in the windows. She
stories, and many of them would rather laugh them off as was very surprised when she noticed a haggard woman
being phoney. glaring back at her through one of the panes. Mona ran
See what you think. back to the car and frantically described to her friend what
she had just seen. The friend recognized the description of
STRANGE OCCURRENCES the woman as that of the grandmother of the house. She
had passed away many years before.
If you've ever been down the back roads of the East This is not the only close encounter with apparitions in
End, you've seen some of the many old houses. I must ad- the house. Candles have been known to flicker as if blown
mit that some do look suspicious, ghostwise that is. Many by a breeze, although no windows were open. The house
spirits allegedly lurk in the rafters of these archaic struc- has changed hands many times. Rumor has it that it is due
tures, spirits of those who have previously resided in them. to the presence of spirits and inexplicable happenings.
ozs>?i
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37
THE PHANTON TYPEWRITER
Towardsrds the far end of the Island is a large house made
of
stone. Its beach was a very popular Place for fishing.
The owners gladly let the Island fishermen make use of it.
One night, at dusk, two fishermen were walking through
the yard to get home. They heard a faint tapping noise,
which grew steadily in volume as they neared the house.
The two men went right up to a window and listened.
They described the sound as that of a typewriter. There
were no lights on and the house had been closed up for a
long time (because it was up for sale).
/F h
� S
J \�
�1
One night, so the story goes, two girls were sharing a
room adjacent to Garfield's residence. Unknowingly, one
of the guests placed her duffle bag in front of the attic
door. During the night, while in bed, she felt something
touching her feet. She asked her friend to leave her feet
alone and let her get some sleep. Her friend replied and
an said that she wasn't touching her feet. When they woke up
the next morning, the duffle bag which had blocked the at-
tic door was on the other side of the room. Garfield moved
the bag to get out of his room and "punished" the girl for
disturbing him.
Garfield is a friendly fellow who likes to play practical
jokes. It is the nature of poltergeists to be like that.
Poltergeists are called "noisy ghosts" by many experts.
Garfield is no exception. He has done such devious things
as turning lights on and off, slamming doors, and opening
THE GHOST NAMED GARFIELD doors in order to create cool, unexpected breezes
throughout the house.
Garfield is the name of a poltergeist who resides in the He also likes to hide things. The lady of the house once
attic of a house near the West End of the Island. Well, at lost a valuable object of sentiment. She searched the house
least he is believed to live in the attic. I have been in the over, but could not find it. More than two years later, she
house where he lives with the caretaker, and we found the found it in a suitcase. She had used this suitcase many
door to his room open. I felt a chill go up my spine as I times for weekends and vacations. The reappearance of the
looked into the dim and dusty attic. I didn't care to go in. object is still a mystery to her.
3
Q.
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.............
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s
JL:;
voS;:
38
C ylindrical Views:
An Interview with Jack Rivers
Interviewed by Dina White and Krista Jenssen
Additional information supplied by Mary Pankiewicz
Transcribed and edited by Dina White
Where did you get the idea to build the "Round"House?
Jack: It was really something I guess I had always wanted
to do — The house that Jack built. I always wanted to
build a house myself. I spent much time in the other place
(his other house at West Harbor) fixing or redoing it. I
designed a lot of houses on paper but never built them.
How long ago did you start building this new place?
Jack: It's coming into its twelfth season, now, its twelfth
summer of construction.
When do you think it will be finished?
Jack: Might be never! (Laughter.)
Is it taking longer than you expected?
Jack: Not really, I knew when I started building and
designing a round house that all the problems of design in
the construction couldn't be solved on paper, so to speak.
. . that the design would be evolutionary. It was planned
to be that way so that you solve the problems as you come
to them and as they present themselves. Working in a cur-
vilinear, it is very hard to solve the problem on paper. .
Where did you get the materials to build the house?
Jack: The wood for that came from Hopkinton, Rhode ,r
Island, from a Jim Thompson, who was a . . . well he
calls himself an old swamp Yankee(Laughter). He's from
Hopkinton (which is) oh . . . about 50 miles from here.
So then you brought them here by yourself?
Jack: No he (Jim) trucked it right in here. I would just
call him up and give him the sizes of the beams that I
wanted and he would cut it in Rhode Island, then he would
bring it down in his truck on the ferry and deliver it right to
the site.
Is there a special way you designed the house so that it was
heated by the sun?
Jack: Yes, it is oriented with approximately half of its A crane helps lift and support for framing.
glass facing towards the south. The openings are designed
to capture most of the sun at peak hours.
39
Won't it get really hot? Is there anything else you want to tell us about the house?I
Jack: It's got ventilation for the summer time. In this ex- don't know what to say, I never built a house.
periment, one doorway, which opens to a deck on the top Jack: Well, I had a lot of help from my wife Elsa, son
floor, cooled the place right down. That one opening cir- David, and friends who came to visit. . .my family most
culates the air enough to do the job. certainly. They worked right along side me and they all
worked pretty hard which was good. It was a good ex-
What do you have to do to finish construction of the perience getting out there and digging -- starting
house? something.
Jack: A lot of railings, stair treads, doors, partitions for Did you know where to start when you first got ready?
sculptural details. Jack: Yeah. We took a stepladder, cut a little brush, put
So it's all more inside work? the stepladder up, then walked up to the top and said, This
is where you will be standing on the first floor on that site.
Jack: More inside work mostly . . . finish work. About It was a beautiful location to begin with. You had such a
your earlier question, where did I get the idea to build the perspective of the island, of the world. You can feel the
house . . . Being close to Ed Hedge! Well, Ed Hedge was a curvature of the earth.
one-armed lobsterman; he was inspiring in a way. How a
man could go on like this working with one arm, well, he Did you find any major problems that slowed you down?
just inspired me to do more. I found a number of people Jack: No, nothing that I would consider major,because I
on the island who inspired me like Frenchy (another never said I had to finish it in the sense that most people
lobsterman) over there building his own boat up on the might. To me, it had to be an ongoing goal. Its mechanical
shore. There are some tough individuals on this island. It is architecture, that's what we meant in the sense that you
certainly more difficult to build it (Frenchy's boat) here had the space and you developed it mechanically. It's
than on the mainland because you can't just run down to cultured to the feel of the vibration, where it is and why it
the hardware store to repair anything. Here it almost takes is. In that place(the Round House), it just calls for looking
a week to make any kind of a repair. all around. The site says -- You can be everything from
Where do you live over on the mainland? here! The best way to see everything is in that round con-
figuration . . . it's there all at once. This friend of mine
Jack: Down in White Plains. I'm teaching down there. used to go and sleep on the site(of a house he was building)
I �
` s
- - •
7
August 1973. Early rendering of construction by Susan Courage Blatt. Green lumber at left air drying in
the traditional A frame technique. Posts and beams designed to shrink and weather in place before the
walls are attached. Air drying requires a year for every inch of thickness in boards and beams.
40
before he started any construction, so I went and slept on How did you get the wood to bend in a circle?
my site.
Oh yeah, getting back to the question before about if Jack: You start with a hoop, started from the inside,and
there were any major setbacks. One year the wind took then nailed the wood in strips to the outside edge. Jim
about a quarter of the structure (north side) and rocked it Thompson got me the oak for all this laminated flooring.
around, blew it to one side. It wasn't braced enough to When you buy lumber, you get what you call random
face the winds. I had to reconstruct that whole section lengths and widths of planks, so I used all the narrow ones
there. For the walls, I utilized a technique in which the for the stripping and saved all the wide planks for future
walls actually expand and contract, as wood will when it is use. We're talking about seven or eight years ago. You
wetted and dried.The(boards of the)walls have big splines have to dry, air dry, the lumber for a period of time. Now
(which are used to connect the boards.) The splines are these wider planks we can use as stair treads, doors, or fur-
about three inches wide and run the whole length of the niture. I'll be making all the furniture for it. I am also us-
wood. So we took 1/8 inch masonite and cut it into 3 inch ing the house as a sculpture studio. I have an experiment
strips and used it for the splines. going here in laminated sculpture.
k�
tr.�tr.
co;o8ia
:.:.:. .............
::P.• 5i.+:::tilt.
E:gas:
Y:
Most recent photo — Fall 1981 —A studio and workshop for evolutionary experiments in arts and
architecture. A host enviroment for artists. A continuing.
41
So I understand you do have heaters up here?
:::...::..:...::..::......
:<
I wouldn't count these(heaters on the top floor.)These are
: just temporary, self-contained units. Until the place is fully
g
insulated, I am going to beef up the roof with two more in-
ches of styrofoam. There is going to be a little walkway on
the surface up there on the roof to improve the integrity of
the roof. Flat roofs, architects will tell you, invariably
leak. There is no such thing as a flat roof that does not
leak. So far it's not bad really.
Looking like a windmill about to takeflight,light, the center core of the
Round House is shown here being fitted with support beams.
Have you done anything special to the land yet?
Jack: I'm keeping it as natural as possible. So far, the
only thing I've planted are some purple irises and some
azaleas last year.
I do want to landscape down to some kind of a little
pond. I would just like to have something to dive into, it
would be nice to have. There is a natural (spot for it) right
off the side of the bluff there.
Jack Rivers, displaying a Yuletide
smile, sits contentedly
{< before an old potbelly stove.
Did you ever think of having a dome on top?
'
Jack: A dome? Yeah, I think you could go through my
sketch books and find tons of ideas. . .all variations
possible. So far I like the simplicity of the cylinder,the way
it (the house) is right now, and I'm becomming more
careful about making any changes. I don't want to destroy
the basic simplicity that is there. I don't want to make it
too busy or out of balance. I have to visualize how it is go-
ing look if I make a change in i
to c a e t.
g g
It must be neat when it rains.
Jack: It is. I was here in the snow. It was going horizon-
tal. It was interesting, because of the curviliner design; you
can tell exactly what the wind direction is by the way the
snow or the rain hits, and where the snow gathers on the
glass.
Birds like to fly around this place. They like to soar and
get caught up in the air flow. They sort of hover some
place on the sides. When the wind is coming around you
can see little barn swallows. You can tell what time of year
it is by the birds coming through. The black birds staking
out their territory
over in the marsh, and marsh hawks
s
Two of Jack's friends at work during an early phase of construction. coming down staking out their territory.
42
This land I bought from Alan Chaplaski; it was willed to
$ him by his father. His father owned the land with Johnny
Pickett. They split the land up. Alan Chaplaski bought a
-> lobster boat with his money he got from the land. Now I
guess he's in Stonington fishing with Skip Ladd.They built
.. a gang saw for cutting up oak for lobster pots.The organic
�1 CX
thing about this floor is that I met Skip Ladd at the Pequot
and I asked him if he knew where I could find a gang saw
to cut up strips of oak for my floor. He said Alan and he
just made one this past winter; they made it with a ninety
horsepower Toyota engine and they had a three-blade,
z carbide-tip gang saw. I think it's still laying around the
shack up Y q wa b the Pe uot.There was no I could have cut
Y
all that strip by strip by strip. But nature had its play in
this structure. When this was open, the wind took its toll
with the grain of the wood. I'm trying to avoid paint.
If it does come, it will come slowly.
1971. The first truckload of beams arriving on the Olinda.
S t
z ' f
The center core and wooden ribs of the Round House are majestically silhouetted against fading sunlight.
43
L
PATRONS
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ahman
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Baker
Mrs. Lawrence S. Baldwin
The Blackman Family
Tommy Chambliss
Carol and Jessica Chaves
Stephen and Cynthia Cook
Dave Cooper
Father Curtin
Mr. & Mrs. Al Dawson
David Denison
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Desjarlais
The True Value Softball team
Janic & Serge Doyen
Mr. & Mrs. Francis Doyen
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Edwards
Jeffrey Edwards
Karen Edwards
Roberta Elwell and Family
Erpenbeck Lobsters
Island Gardeners, Inc.
Fishers Island Utility Company
Mr. & Mrs. John Gada, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Garafalo and Family
Gordy
Dr. & Mrs. William R. Hasse
Tony and Lella Heins
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Horn
The Horning Family
Mrs. Catherine Jenssen and Family
Bobby Johns
Staige Kern
Leslie's Bakery
Mr. & Mrs. George Lynch
Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Marshall and Family
Mystic Isle Realty, Inc.
Mary Pankiewicz
Mr. & Mrs. John Pendleton
Marilyn F. Pickett
Mr. & Mrs. James Peishoff
Morgan S.A. Reichner
Bagley Reid
The Schryver Family
The Seerman Family
Sinclair Pharmacal Company, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stepanek and Family
Mr. Donald Turcotte
The Walters Family
John Weil
Mr. & Mrs. Edmund White and Family
Wanda Wojachowska
Mr. & Mrs. Mario Zanghetti
44