Dark Island , a prominent feature of Saint Lawrence Seaway, is located in the lower Thousand Islands area (east), near Chippewa Bay. It is part of Hammond City, in St. Lawrence County, New York.
A landmark landmark on the island, "The Towers", has long been known as "Dark Island Castle" until recently renamed "Singer Castle". The island is located just a few meters south of the Canadian-American border that runs along the river.
The Castle has several bedrooms, a bathroom, a large Reading Room, a library, and a kitchen. Inside the wall is a network of secret passages that can be accessed from various locations, one of which is a panel in the library which, at one time, can be opened by pulling a particular book from a nearby shelf, triggering a locking mechanism.
The southern side of the island is only about a hundred meters from the cruise line, and cargo ships often pass through the island. Because of the channel depth on one side, and the relative shallowness on the other, it is excellent for largemouth bass fishing and northern pike.
Video Dark Island
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Much of the architectural work on the Dark Island is associated with prominent American architect, Ernest Flagg. His client is Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of Singer Manufacturing Company (now Singer Corporation), producer of Singer Sewing Machine. Her daughter, Marjorie Bourne Thayer, made a great addition in 1928. Flagg also designed a skyscraper for a company in New York City, the tallest building in the world at the time. Flagg is known for many major American projects, such as the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
The island fortress is the last of several "palaces" built in the Thousand Islands during a short time interval (1888-1905). Bourne undertook the project while the larger Boldt Castle was nearing completion. The architect modeled the stone structure, which was planned in 1903, at a castle in Woodstock, England described in Sir Walter Scott Woodstock .
After 1919 the death of Frederick Bourne, his daughter Marjorie (Mrs. Alexander D. Thayer) took the title to the property. Ownership is contested by a brother, but he defends the title.
After his death, the Roman Catholic Church of the Christian Brothers acquired the Dark Island along with the large Bourne country house, the Indian Neck Hall in Oakdale on Long Island, which later became the LaSalle Military Academy. Because it is not widely used for remote islands on the St. Lawrence, Christian Brothers sold the Dark Island in 1965 with approximately US $ 5,000, for later use by a religious charitable organization, Harold Martin Evangelistic Association.
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Next history
The former tax-exempt status of the property is contested by the neighbor after being inhabited by the new owner. They argue that Dr. Harold Martin, the director of the charity, maintains a tax-exempt property for his personal use as a summer residence. Martin wins in court, on the grounds that he and his wife, Eloise, offer religious services on the island every Sunday morning, open to all. During this Martin interval, the property was called "Jorstadt Castle", from the family name of the family. Harold Martin before immigrating from Norway. The name of the castle has changed to "Singer Castle".
After more than thirty years of Martin's tenure, dismissal, sometimes due to theft, depleted his original content. Due to the high cost of maintenance, a number of original equipment and artifacts fell into disrepair. Rumors about the actual use of the property (his new name does not identify the ownership of religion or charity), together with the gradual decline of the property and the story of the elaborate maze of dimly lit passageways, complete with dungeon, all enhance the romantic mysterious Island of Dark.
During the next decade of the Martin period (late 1980s and early 1990s), Dark Island was listed for sale. The ads appear in high-end real estate magazines like Unique Houses with suggestions that they are "private residences, corporate retreats or hunting lodges." Interest came from as far as Japan, but the property remained unsold until it was acquired in 2001 by Dark Island Tours, Inc., an undertaking of German businessman Farhad Vladi and two American business partners. Vladi also operates Vladi Private Islands GmbH, a real estate company based in Hamburg, Germany specializing in island sales.
Dark Island Tours, Inc. conducting an extensive campaign of restoration and adaptation to open the Black Islands to the visiting public. The tour began in 2003. Despite the loss over the years, the interior of the castle retains its original character, with most of the Bourne-Thayer furniture. Unlike the nearby Boldt Castle, Dark Island always serves as a private residence, until it is opened to the public for a tour.
In 2006, Black Island was listed for sale through Sotheby's International Realty for $ 22 million.
Popular culture
This castle was featured in the 2000 movie, The Skulls
The Great Escape episode was filmed in Singer Castle but never aired.
Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers recorded part of their 2009 album Lost Channels at the castle. The album included a 48-second interlude of belled castle bells.
References
Further reading
- Mondore, Robert, and Patty. Singer Castle . Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing Co., 2005. Photographic survey.
- Malo, Paul. Heaven is stupid . Fulton, New York: Laurentian Press, 2003.
- Mondore, Robert, and Patty. Castle of Mysteries Dark Island . Gold-Mountain, 2003, 2006. DVD documentary 58 minutes.
External links
- The Singer Castle website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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