Grindstone Island – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grindstone Island is the fourth largest of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River and the second largest American island. The island lies near Lake Ontario and is part of the United States of America. In particular, the island is in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York. It consists mainly of abandoned farmland and 45% of it is protected by TILT, the Thousand Island Land Trust.
History
The first known settlement occurred in 1804. The island was once considered to be part of Canada, but, since 1823, has been recognized as part of the United States. Shortly afterwards a dispute over some harvested trees created a brief disturbance called “The Grindstone Island War” in which American militia attempted to prevent the removal of the logs.
In the early 1900s the island acquired enough of a population to have two school buildings built, a lower school house (which is now a private home) by the cross-island bridge and an upper school house, which is now the Grindstone Island Cultural Center which gives out a scholarship once a year. The island also has a Methodist church founded in 1899 (with services on Sundays) with a Community Center (Dodge Hall) across the street (with dances on Saturday nights in the summer) and a no longer functioning Creamery and Cheese Factory. The island also has one of the few natural beaches in the Thousand Island region open to the public, Potter’s Beach.
Lumber and granite quarries were important in the early economy. The island is a self sustaining environment that operates on an honor system; however, infrastructure such as electricity is provided by the town of Clayton, NY. There are no bridges onto Grindstone (save when the river freezes), or formal ferry services onto Grindstone Island. There is a community dock (the town dock in Aunt Jane’s Bay) provided for visitors on Aunt Jane’s Bay – some inlanders who live inland on the island park their vehicles along the road. There is a normal US postal service delivery route onto the island Monday through Saturday.
The island also recently received street signs marking the island’s few official unpaved roads.
Geography
The northern part of the island is on the international border between the United States and Canada. Grindstone Island is in the west end of the St. Lawrence River in between Wellesley and Wolfe Islands. It is one of the larger of the Thousand Islands. In the middle of the island there is bay which divides the island almost in two. There is a small bridge over the bay however.
Grindstone Island is 44 degrees, 17 minutes north latitude and 76 degrees, 27 minutes west longitude.
The island is 1.273 miles (closest point) from Clayton, New York.
Communities and locations on Grindstone Island
Aunt Janes Bay — A bay on the south shore.
Canoe-Picnic Point State Park — A state park on the northeast tip of the island, accessible only by boat.
Cummings Point — The tip of a short peninsula of the island on the southwest end.
Delaney Bay — A bay at the northeast part of the island.
Dodge Hall — Community Center on Northshore Road
Flynn Bay — A bay on the southwest end of the island.
Grindstone — The hamlet of Grindstone is on the north shore.
Grindstone United Methodist Church — founded in 1890.
Lower Town Landing — A hamlet on the south shore
Upper Town Landing — A hamlet on the south shore
Dodge Hall – The dance hall near the north end of the island, where many social events have been held.
Thurso – a small community reaching from Thurso bay, to the crossroads at the church.
The cheese factory – a once active factory from when dairy farmers were abundant on the island, it was shut down when the farmers ceased producing milk.
Rusho Bay – Another bay on the south shore of the island
Area Links
Clayton Chamber of Commerce
Town of Clayton
Village of Clayton
Antique Boat Museum
Clayton Opera House
Thousand Islands Arts Center
Thousand Islands Museum