THOUSAND ISLAND
PARK
LANDMARK
SOCIETY
PARK
LANDMARK
SOCIETY
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Don't forget the House and Garden Tour
Thursday July 18,2013
For details , click here.
Victorian Tent Campground style cottages
The Wellesley Hotel ca. 1903
Restaurant, Hotel , Bed and Breakfast
Last surviving Hotel of Thousand Island Park
The mission of the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society is to foster preservation and appreciation for our unique architectural heritage. Landmark Society serves as a resource and offers support for architectural and historical research, dissemination of information and fund raising efforts for preservation projects.
Our community continues to evolve. After the fire of 1912, and then years of financial crises and struggle, the Park could be compared to the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes
Preservation is the
new mantra of our community. The contributions and conscientious
efforts of our original founders were immeasurable. With our
architecture protected, the Park’s legacy of 305 surviving structures
will remain intact.
With the strong backbone of the Landmark Society and the Thousand Island Park Corporation Preservation Board a vibrant Victorian community has been resurrected.
Landmark Building ca. 1876
Landmark Building before restoration pictured in 1970
Office, Gift Shop, Reference Library, Exhibits
Cottages adorned in fanciful gingerbread now abound in the Park; many have been restored to their original glory. In many instances gingerbread decorations that were removed from cottages have been replaced, some designed from the original templates including but not limited to cattails, herons, fish, and flowers. Victorian porches have been replaced and enclosed porches have been opened. Spindled and decorative balustrades (porch rails) have been replaced. You now can view and appreciate classic, pristine examples of Queen Anne, Eastlake, Stick, Shingle, Carpenter Gothic and Tent Platform styles.
The Chautauqua movement evolved and ended but the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society is carrying on its mission in fostering an appreciation for preservation and interest in the early architectural history of our community. Thousand Island Park has been saved by a community that worked together with Landmark Society and the Preservation Board to preserve our legacy for generations to come.
Thursday July 18,2013
For details , click here.
Victorian Tent Campground style cottages
HISTORY OF THOUSAND ISLAND PARK LANDMARK SOCIETY
The End of the Golden Era
The End of the Golden Era
After the Great Fire of 1912, elegant Victorian cottages that dated back to 1876 were being torn down or modernized with abandon. The Golden era enhanced by the Chautauqua Movement had ended. This was followed by an economic, decade long downturn known as The Great Depression. Victorian architecture was no longer de rigueur; it was considered overdone and ugly. Beautiful spindled porches were removed or enclosed. Gingerbread was removed, some actually sawed off from these cottages. Composition, asbestos and later, vinyl siding were applied to reduce high maintenance costs of the original novelty board and shingles. In the 1950"s, TIP Corporation approved a plan that would start the replacement of neglected cottages with manufactured homes and placing more of these homes on the numerous empty lots at the back of the Park where diminutive Victorian Tent/Campground cottages once stood. Over two hundred of these cottages were destroyed by the fire of 1912, or torn down due to lack of maintenance. Thousand Island Park was facing an economic crisis and this would increase a badly needed tax base. Fortunately, this plan failed after only one manufactured home was placed on a lot near the tennis courts. It marked the beginning of our loyal families coming forth, embracing and supporting the true essence of Thousand Island Park that had been passed down to them through the generations.
The Wellesley Hotel closed in the early 1930's and would not reopen for another 50 years. The summer crowds which used to number over 7,000 dwindled to a few 100 generational families. The Park was essentially in a time warp from 1930 until the renaissance of 1975. Except for its loyal families, the essence and charm of the Park had quietly slipped away. It was evident that the architectural and historical significance of the community were endangered. Thousand Island Park was about to lose its glorious Victorian ambiance and heritage. Modernize was the popular mantra.
The Wellesley Hotel closed in the early 1930's and would not reopen for another 50 years. The summer crowds which used to number over 7,000 dwindled to a few 100 generational families. The Park was essentially in a time warp from 1930 until the renaissance of 1975. Except for its loyal families, the essence and charm of the Park had quietly slipped away. It was evident that the architectural and historical significance of the community were endangered. Thousand Island Park was about to lose its glorious Victorian ambiance and heritage. Modernize was the popular mantra.
The Wellesley Hotel ca. 1903
Restaurant, Hotel , Bed and Breakfast
Last surviving Hotel of Thousand Island Park
THE RENAISSANCE
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK LANDMARK SOCIETY FOUNDED 1976
PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 1982
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK LANDMARK SOCIETY FOUNDED 1976
PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 1982
Fast forward to the Centennial Year Celebration of
1975 which inspired a renaissance, the beginning of a new era of
appreciation. The following year, the formation of the Landmark Society
in 1976 led to the Park’s regaining its architectural character and
integrity. The Thousand Island Park Landmark Society was founded by a
small group of dedicated visionaries who recognized an urgent need for
preservation, restoration and education. In 1982, the hard work of the
Society’s founders was realized in achieving the nomination and
placement of Thousand Island Park on the National Register of Historic
Places. The Golden Era evolved into the Preservation Era. Paul Malo,
Professor Emeritus Architecture, Syracuse University, was a mentor to
the founders of Landmark Society and provided valuable assistance over
the years until his death in 2008. His eloquent words captured the
essence of Thousand Island Park as “a place that conveys many things to
today’s visitors, some of them intangible and elusive, as if the
community had a collective character, or personality, as if on this
island there had developed, and remained from the lost pasts, some
different way of life.”
MISSION OF THOUSAND ISLAND PARK LANDMARK SOCIETYThe mission of the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society is to foster preservation and appreciation for our unique architectural heritage. Landmark Society serves as a resource and offers support for architectural and historical research, dissemination of information and fund raising efforts for preservation projects.
Our community continues to evolve. After the fire of 1912, and then years of financial crises and struggle, the Park could be compared to the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes
With the strong backbone of the Landmark Society and the Thousand Island Park Corporation Preservation Board a vibrant Victorian community has been resurrected.
Landmark Building ca. 1876
Landmark Building before restoration pictured in 1970
Office, Gift Shop, Reference Library, Exhibits
42831 St Lawrence Ave
Thousand Island Park, NY 13692
315 482 5150
The Landmark building ca. 1870 above is an iconic example of a Tent Platform
Style/Carpenter Gothic camp architecture. It is only shop that survived
the Fire of 1912 in the business district. The porch and gingerbread
had been torn off years ago. In 2005, Landmark funds raised from our
membership and the biannual House Tour enabled meticulous restoration of
this building. The porch has been replaced and templates were crafted
to restore the original intricate wood-sawn gingerbread. The building is a
pristine example of Tent/Campground style restoration.
The Landmark Society's Shop is open Tuesday through Sunday and staffed by dedicated docents. Visitors and residents are encouraged to use our reference library. This library has an extensive collection of books focusing on Victorian architecture that is particularly inspiring for the individual who is contemplating an addition or renovation.
CLASSIC QUEEN ANNE STYLE ca. 1880(expanded 2009)
Thousand Island Park Preservation Board
The Queen Anne cottage pictured above was expanded in 2009. The owners followed the preservation code and submitted their architectural plans to the Preservation Board for approval before construction could begin. A preservation code was approved by Thousand Island Park Corporation in 1982 and subsequently a Preservation Board was appointed in 1983. The careful planning approved by the Preservation Board resulted in a seamless addition which blends in perfectly with the original Queen Anne style architecture of the 1890's.
All cottage owners follow this strict preservation code if they wish to add onto or change anything visible to the eye on the facades of their cottages. For these changes and for new construction, architectural plans must be submitted to the Preservation Board for approval.
Preservation is the new mantra of our community. The contributions and conscientious efforts of our original founders were immeasurable. With our architecture protected, the Park’s legacy of 305 surviving structures will remain intact.
With the strong backbone of the Thousand Island Park Preservation Board and the Landmark Society, a vibrant Victorian community has been resurrected and our precious legacy protected.
FANCIFUL VERGEBOARD AND GINGERBREAD
The Landmark Society's Shop is open Tuesday through Sunday and staffed by dedicated docents. Visitors and residents are encouraged to use our reference library. This library has an extensive collection of books focusing on Victorian architecture that is particularly inspiring for the individual who is contemplating an addition or renovation.
CLASSIC QUEEN ANNE STYLE ca. 1880(expanded 2009)
Thousand Island Park Preservation Board
The Queen Anne cottage pictured above was expanded in 2009. The owners followed the preservation code and submitted their architectural plans to the Preservation Board for approval before construction could begin. A preservation code was approved by Thousand Island Park Corporation in 1982 and subsequently a Preservation Board was appointed in 1983. The careful planning approved by the Preservation Board resulted in a seamless addition which blends in perfectly with the original Queen Anne style architecture of the 1890's.
All cottage owners follow this strict preservation code if they wish to add onto or change anything visible to the eye on the facades of their cottages. For these changes and for new construction, architectural plans must be submitted to the Preservation Board for approval.
Preservation is the new mantra of our community. The contributions and conscientious efforts of our original founders were immeasurable. With our architecture protected, the Park’s legacy of 305 surviving structures will remain intact.
With the strong backbone of the Thousand Island Park Preservation Board and the Landmark Society, a vibrant Victorian community has been resurrected and our precious legacy protected.
FANCIFUL VERGEBOARD AND GINGERBREADCottages adorned in fanciful gingerbread now abound in the Park; many have been restored to their original glory. In many instances gingerbread decorations that were removed from cottages have been replaced, some designed from the original templates including but not limited to cattails, herons, fish, and flowers. Victorian porches have been replaced and enclosed porches have been opened. Spindled and decorative balustrades (porch rails) have been replaced. You now can view and appreciate classic, pristine examples of Queen Anne, Eastlake, Stick, Shingle, Carpenter Gothic and Tent Platform styles.
The Chautauqua movement evolved and ended but the Thousand Island Park Landmark Society is carrying on its mission in fostering an appreciation for preservation and interest in the early architectural history of our community. Thousand Island Park has been saved by a community that worked together with Landmark Society and the Preservation Board to preserve our legacy for generations to come.
GINGERBREAD OF THOUSAND ISLAND PARK
GINGERBREAD OF THOUSAND ISLAND PARK
