(bright cheerful music) - [Announcer] Major funding for Discovering Jefferson County is provided by the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, dedicated to improving the well-being of communities by helping disadvantaged children and families.

Online at dmjf.org.

(uplifting music) The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, committed to helping people celebrate their community's history by providing grants for historic markers and plaques nationwide.

Learn more about grant and partnership opportunities at wgpfoundation.org.

And by T. Urling and Mabel Walker.

Additional support provided by these sponsors, who believe in the educational and cultural mission of WPBS-TV.

(light music) (upbeat music) - Wilbur, I've been doing my homework, and my gosh there's so much yet to see and learn!

So let me ask you, what are all off these?

And what are these?

- These are the ancient artifacts of the Thousand Islands.

Well, sort of.

Their old souvenirs.

And we'll get to your question and those in a bit.

But first, I wanted you to see this.

- Shut the front door, Wilbur!

I knew there were lots of pirates on the high seas, but here, in Jefferson County?

- All that and more.

But first, I owe you details about Marietta Holley.

So let's start with this famous humorist first, and then move on in to Alexandria Bay, where the map you hold will make perfect sense.

(upbeat music) Marietta Holley didn't realize it at the time, but she lived in what would become a booming mill industry.

The first settler to arrive in what is now Adams was a chap by the name of David Smith.

It was 1800, and he was an eager one.

Smith built the town's first sawmill and grist mill, giving the area its first name of Smith's Mills.

In 1802, the town was renamed in honor of President John Adams.

As the mills grew, so did Marietta Holley's writing, and she published her first book in 1873.

It was titled "My Opinions and Betsey Bobbet's."

This work was written under the pseudonym Josiah Allen's Wife.

The books character, Samantha Allen, appeared in many subsequent books.

Miss Holley enjoyed a prolific writing career.

She was a bestselling author throughout the late 19th century and is remembered as one of America's most significant early female humorists.

Just a hop and a skip down the road is the nearby town of Adams Center.

It was founded around 1816 and was first known as Adams Five Corners.

Eventually, the hamlet became known as Adams Centre, spelled C-E-N-T-R-E, a spelling that continued until about 1900.

One notable resident was Melville Dewey, born in 1851 in Adams Center.

Dewey was the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System, used by libraries nationwide to classify and catalog books and collections.

The system was enormously popular and still remains in use today.

(gentle music) Many notable people from Jefferson County forged even more history for us to marvel at right here in Northern New York.

Consider the area of Dexter, for example.

The region from Henderson Harbor, through Chaumont Bay and into Cape Vincent is known as The Golden Crescent, and includes Dexter.

The Village of Dexter was originally established in 1837 as Fish Island.

It was named Fish Island after settlers noted an abundant number of fish in the Black River.

But the name didn't stick.

The village, officially incorporated in 1855, was renamed after one if its investors.

- A company called the Dexter Village Company was formed and Isaac Newton Dexter was one of the original shareholders.

They surveyed lots and sold those lots to try to establish a community in the area.

- [Brian] The waters of Dexter are notable, and include a series of man-made waterfalls and dams that were built in 1811 to churn large turbines that powered area gristmills and sawmills.

Unstable wood mills that broke during floods were eventually replaced by concrete dams in 1924 that still function today.

At the top of the dam is what villagers call the containment, a basin that gives them a watery playground in the summer.

In the winter, villagers put their boats away but keep their eyes on the structure, and for good reason.

Dexter receives the majority of melted snow and water run-off from higher lands.

This run-off has been the culprit of flooding since the 1800's.

One of the worst floods happened in 1913 after a particularly hard winter, and several mills were forced to shut down.

The shutdown proved detrimental to the village.

This was an era of industrial advance, and the mills were crucial to economic development.

One such mill of note was the Sulfite Mill.

Built it 1837, it survived the floods.

And good thing, because it manufactured much needed supplies for soldiers.

- It made broadcloth, which again, got a large contract, apparently, during the Civil War, to provide blankets to the Union Army.

That's what kept it going through the Civil War.

Eventually, that business kinda faltered, and paper making was really starting to take hold in the North Country.

- [Brian] As paper making took hold, places like the Sulfite Mill were converted into paper mills.

No longer in operation, the concrete addition of the Sulfite Mill built in 1888 remains today.

As is the case with most villages in Jefferson County, Dexter is home to many structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Dexter Universalist Church is one such structure.

A Greek-revival style church built in 1841, it served the community for over 100 years.

The building itself has undergone significant rehabilitation to maintain its integrity.

Today it is the home of the Dexter Area Historical Society.

- Is that common in this area to turn churches into Historical Societies?

- It seems to be.

Remember, churches were often the center of town activity.

They recorded births, weddings, even deaths.

They witnessed the many ups and downs of the community's history.

So it seems natural to turn them into historical societies when their usefulness as a church wanes.

- Where is this church located?

- Ah, yes, that church is in Henderson Harbor, a noted area for fishermen.

There's some interesting history in that area.

(light music) Remember our friend Benjamin Wright?

The land surveyor who mapped out what is now the city of Watertown?

In 1796, Wright was charged with dividing land known as the Black River Tract, into 11 separate towns.

One of those towns was identified as Number 6, and it was noted that it was a "pretty good town."

It was this pretty good town that attracted the attention of a wealthy European-American landowner by the name of William Henderson.

Henderson saw the potential of development in Northern New York.

So, imagine his pride when he won the parcel in a land lottery.

Now the owner of the western portion of Jefferson County near Lake Ontario, Henderson tucked the new deed away with others, and watched it flourish from his New York City home.

- He bought and sold land throughout New York State in the late 1700's after the Revolution.

And he made his money back by re-selling that land, in many cases in smaller parcels, to settlers who were coming here from New England.

The Town of Henderson was one of those pieces that he acquired.

And in 1806, by act of the state legislature, this piece was carved off from the town of Ellisburg and was named the town of Henderson after William Henderson.

He never really lived here but he did come several times to check on his investments.

- [Brian] On those visits, Henderson was most impressed by the deep harbor that is now Henderson Bay, and the prospect that many ships could be built there.

Other developers agreed, and after the War of 1812, Henderson became home to three major shipyards.

- Between 1812 and 1880, they built over 48 great ships to carry freight, and they were built by such men as James White, Captain Warner, Captain Seton, Captain Reid, and Morgan.

And they were just massive ships.

All of them were built from these great forests of white cedar that had grown on Stony Point.

What we're told through the historians is that these white cedar were like the great Sequoias of California.

They were so tall and wide, they were wider than a wagon, and you couldn't even drive a wagon between them, because they grew so close together.

And so that was what created the great ships out of Henderson.

- [Brian] When the forests were depleted, the industry faded away.

But all was not lost.

With a booming population of over 2,000, Henderson was still home to three mills: two in the village and one at the outlet of Big Stony Creek.

And while the mills were crucial to the economy, things began to change still, and soon Henderson became a fishing and farming community.

- [Elaine] After the Civil War, in Henderson, great hotels began to rise up.

One built by Warner in the main harbor, then there were little fishing communities like down in Paradise Park and Highland Park, and then the great Brooklyn House down at White's Bay that actually brought people from New York City.

The Gill House became very important in Henderson Harbor.

- [Brian] There are other homes to note in Henderson, too, but for a different historical reason.

- There are at least two known stops on the Underground Railroad in Henderson for escaped slaves who were fleeing to Canada.

One was the Aspinwall House, which still exists at the intersection of State Route 3 and County Route 178.

The other is the Johnson property out at the end of Snowshoe Road.

- [Brian] Sometimes we think we've found out all there is to find when it comes to area homes, their connection to history, and local artifacts.

But Henderson was gifted with quite a surprise in 2000, after a fire at a local residence revealed something extraordinary: a log cabin, hidden in the walls of the home, dating back to the 1820's.

The house walls were built over the historic cabin, yet the owner never knew.

In a wonderful act of giving, the owner donated the cabin to the Henderson Historical Society.

The Society carefully disassembled it and re-assembled the historic find on the grounds of the museum, located in the former 1830's Universalist Church.

Today, Henderson's population hovers around 1,300, but that population expands an additional 5,000 when summer residents and tourists arrive to swim, fish, and enjoy the scenery.

- The sunsets are just breathtaking.

It's just such a beautiful place.

People like the fact that it's not overly commercial, that it's more set back, more slowed down.

And it's just a wonderful way to while away the summer.

(upbeat music) - [Brian] The town of Alexandria Bay, named in honor of James Le Ray's son, Alexander, was formed in the early 1800's from lands that were part of the Macomb Purchase.

It was incorporated as a village in 1878, with a population of around 630 people.

An early and legendary figure in the history of Alexandria Bay is "Pirate" Bill Johnston.

Born in Canada in February of 1782, Johnston was, in his early years, a loyal British subject.

But things shifted a bit.

When he was a young man, he captained a schooner on eastern Lake Ontario, which ferried legitimate cargo, but also carried not-so-legitimate tea and rum.

After the War of 1812 began, Johnston was accused of spying by the Kingston military command, and his arrest was ordered the following year.

Not wanting to be jailed, Johnston fled Canada.

- In 1837 and 1838, there was the Patriot's War, and the Northern New Yorkers decided with some of the people of Southern Canada, that Canada needed to be free of British rule.

Bill Johnston earned his fame as the Pirate of Alexandria Bay, by leading a group to sink the Sir Robert Peel.

- [Brian] In the early morning of May 30th, 1838, Johnston and 12 other men attacked and burned the ship.

Johnston was jailed for his actions.

Not long after, he petitioned the President for a pardon.

The pardon was granted.

"The Pirate" became the keeper of Rock Island Lighthouse soon after.

Every summer, the village of Alexandria Bay celebrates this unusual ancestor with Bill Johnston's Pirate's Weekend.

Visitors and guests share stories about him, and how the village functioned as a fishing village for most of the 1800s.

- [Judy] At the very beginning, it was mostly aristocratic hunters and fishermen who were taking after the British, and the rich men mostly would come to Alexandria Bay for fishing.

- [Brian] But all of that changed in 1872 with a visit to the village by Presidential Candidate General Ulysses S. Grant.

Grant was invited on a fishing trip by industrialist George Pullman, who made his fortune with the Pullman railroad car.

The press penned dozens of national articles about the visit, which garnered interest in the Thousand Islands.

Prominent businessmen, like Waldorf-Astoria hotelier George Boldt, who built Boldt Castle between 1900 and 1904, and Cuban tobacco and sugar millionaire Luis Marx, who constructed Casablanca on Cherry island in 1895, made the Thousand Islands their summer playground.

Before long there was a boon of tourism, which encouraged the construction of luxury hotels, massive island homes, and watercraft.

- Where there is a river, there is transportation.

So, Alexandria Bay has always had boat builders.

First, it was common skiffs and simple boats &for local people.

With the advent of the tourism industry, the boat builders turned to building tour boats and larger yachts and motorboats and fancy skiffs for summer residents.

- [Brian] In 1900, the Hutchinson brothers started Hutchinson's Boat Works, building fancy wooden motorboats for tourists.

Soon after, Fitzgerald and Lee opened for business in 1920 as a boat repair operation.

They soon expanded into selling Gar Wood boats, a type of antique speed boat.

But due to the financial stresses of the Great Depression and the start of World War II, Fitzgerald and Lee were forced to shut their doors in 1942.

Hutchison Boat Works, however, was able to secure a government contract for building boats during World War II.

Still in business today, they now sell both new and used boats.

- Wow, this area seems to have a lot of nautical history.

Is Alexandria Bay the center of tourist activity in the Thousand Islands?

- It's one of them.

There are three "official" tourist towns in the Thousand Islands.

Alexandria Bay, Cape Vincent, and Clayton.

As a matter of fact, Clayton was the first stop for most people coming to the islands.

(pensive music) Originally named Cornelia by James Le Ray in 1825, Clayton was renamed in 1831, in honor of an admired Whig party senator from Delaware, John M. Clayton.

It officially became a town in 1833.

Because of its location on the St. Lawrence River and plentiful forests nearby, the first major industry in Clayton was logging.

With so much timber available, the town was ideal for shipbuilding.

A man by the name of Simon Johnston owned one of the prominent shipyards in the village.

The Clayton Opera House is now located at the site of his shipyard.

- The Captain Simon Johnston House still stands as one of our proud homes of Clayton, New York.

Simon Johnston was one of the early boat makers, ship makers in this area, and he actually had a fleet of twenty ships himself.

So, not only was he a Captain on the river, he was captain of shipbuilding, and very, very popular, well renowned, well respected shipmaker.

- [Brian] Another boat unique to the Thousand Islands region is the Saint Lawrence skiff.

It was first built around 1868 as a fishing guide boat.

As its hull form evolved, the St. Lawrence skiff became the standard river boat of its time.

Other boats built included schooners, sailboats, and motorboats.

The Antique Boat Museum in Clayton pays homage to the many boats used on the water.

While some used them for leisure and transport, others began to take advantage of the arrival of the railroad.

(train whistle blasting) Tracks were first laid in Clayton in 1873, and brought wealthy people seeking time away from city life.

As many as 13 trains arrived daily in Clayton.

Folks in New York City could hop on a train in the evening, rent a sleeper car, and be in the Thousand Islands by morning.

There, they took ferries and steamboats to their island homes or hotels.

As a result, the region's tourism industry flourished.

Luxury hotels were built to accommodate the influx of vacationers.

Iconic places like The Hubbard House, the Frontenac Hotel on Round Island, The Dewey House, and The Herald House.

The Dewey House is now O'Brien's Restaurant, and the Herald House is now the former Thousand Islands Inn.

The Hubbard House and the Frontenac were both victim to fire.

Soon wealthy residents began to build their own massive island homes.

Tycoons like Charles Emery, for example.

Tobacco was his trade and he was ready to show his wealth.

He finished Calumet Castle on Calumet Island in 1894.

But the castle met its demise when it burned down in 1956.

(pensive music) The original water tower still remains and is visible from Clayton's waterfront.

- Incredible!

Oh, I can't wait to visit Boldt Castle.

- Oh, definitely worth the trip.

Much of Boldt Castle has been restored over the years and welcomes visitors from late spring through early fall.

George Boldt built the castle for his wife, Louise.

But tragically, she passed away before it was finished.

Sp broken hearted, George stopped construction and left the island for good, leaving behind the partial remaines as a monument of his love.

For 73 years, it remained unfinished, until the vandalized property was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in 1977.

And the rest, they say, is history.

- Wow.

A tragic love story.

What else?

- Well, each island has its own tale.

But few have seen the remains of one particular island's most spectacular mansions, which is a setting of another tragic story.

(bright music) Near the ruins of Fort Haldimand at Carleton Island off Cape Vincent, is an iconic grand mansion built in the 1890's called Carleton Villa.

It was a vacation home for businessman William O. Wyckoff.

Wyckoff was president of a company that had an exclusive contract with E. Remington and Sons to sell Remington typewriters, and he made a fortune.

It is said Wyckoff died of a heart attack on his very first night at the mansion.

His wife Frances passed the same way, months later.

In the 1930's, General Electric bought the property to use as a company retreat.

But World War II derailed those plans.

During the war, anything of value, like ornate doors and windows, were removed.

The property now sits in extreme disrepair and is on the market for purchase.

- If only I had half a million dollars.

- (chuckles) Well, that's just to purchase.

It would take millions more to refurbish it back to its original glory.

And because it's on an island, materials would need to be brought by boat.

Big project!

- What other big projects are notable in Jefferson County?

- Oh, lots.

On Part four, the final installment of Discovering Jefferson County.

We'll visit a few more towns and what major projects they're known for, talk water dredging, how the north country became connected with roads and bridges, and take you on a historic tour of the tourism and agricultural industries.

- [Announcer] Major funding for Discovering Jefferson County is provided by the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, dedicated to improving the well-being of communities by helping disadvantaged children and families.

Online at dmjf.org.

The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, committed to helping people celebrate their community's history by providing grants for historic markers and plaques nationwide.

More about grant and partnership opportunities at wgpfoundation.org.

And by T. Urling and Mabel Walker.

Additional support provided by these sponsors, who believe in the educational and cultural mission of WPBS-TV.

(uplifting music) (bright music) (light music)