Donna's Hometown

We left Wolcott, stopping for fuel at $4.93. We thought that was a bargain as everywhere diesel was selling for $5.15 in NY. We stopped at the Walmart in Oswego and called Carole to come and get us. She & Dick & her mother live nearby on Lake Ontario and we were warmly welcomed and treated to a wonderful roast pork dinner. Carole was in my wedding 49 years ago.

We then went on to Henderson Harbor where I was raised.
We are staying on the plateau at Westcott Beach State Park. After settling in and getting the internet right away, (Bob is awesome, fixed the problem) we headed for the harbor. We had a light snack at the West View Lodge where I was raised from age 3 to 13. Across the street is the marina which Dad and Mom also owned. We built a house there and moved there when I was 13. Lived there until after I graduated and went away to business school and met my husband. We drove around to where my mother and dad's last home was and I showed Bob where my uncle lives, where I was married and where I went to school.

Went to visit my Uncle in the morning, then on to visit other people I knew. Drove around site seeing the pretty waterfronts and the Stony Point Lighthouse. Things have changed a lot and not many people around that I know anymore.

Friday morning we drove to Alexandria Bay. We stopped by Judy and Bill Ballway's house boat then the 4 of us went to lunch on the waterfront. Saw a freighter go by on the St Lawrence River Seaway. In 1959 the seaway was built in a joint effort of Canada and the US. It is opened 8 months of the year and has created seaports from the Atlantic to Duluth, MN. We learned all that on our boat trip with Uncle Sam Boat Tours. We even crossed the International border and all passenger's were tricked to look over the side to see "something". I took their picture as I knew what was happening from previous trips.

We went under the 1000 Island Bridge which connects NY to ON.


Past the smallest island.

We went by millionaires cottages.
One man from BMW actually has 3 identical houses scattered around the world so where ever he is he knows where things are in his home. Just different views out the windows.

The boat stops at Boldt Castle on Heart Island
and we got off to tour it. When I last saw it 20 years ago it was in a terrible state of disrepair. It was built in 1900 by George Boldt, he owned the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC. He was building it for his wife, Louise, and upon her death in 1904 all building stopped. It sat that way for over 70 years suffering the ravages of weather and vandals. The 1000 Island Authority took it over and has pumped $27 million into restoring it to what it looked like the day the worker's laid down their tools. I was awed to say the least. The heirs have even donated family furniture to the restored rooms.


Their boathouse is across the channel and has doors that accommodate sailboats with tall masts.

Returning to Henderson Harbor we again went to the West View Lodge for dinner. I took a picture of the sunset so my kids could see the difference in the view. (Remember the chalk drawing Tracy) Then we went to visit Bob Henchen. I grew up with him and he lived next door to my folks at their last home. I also learned that my Uncle was admitted to the hospital for observation.