Dark Island in the News again --- YNN

Photo: Morning view of Singer Castle, by Jean Papke

YNN - TV News

The news keeps on coming about Singer Castle and the major new reality series that has a dramatic show filmed there. (See our previous blogs for more details and exquisite photos). Superstar producers Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and The Amazing Race's Bertram van Munster created the show, which is called The Great Escape. Click on the following link for the YNN news and video story... TNT Picks up reality show.

Blog In the News!

We are in the news. The Official Tourism Bureau of the Thousand Islands Region (visit1000islands.com) has referenced SingerCastle.blogspot.com. They have an interesting article about Singer Castle and Boldt Castle, both located in the Thousand Islands. Read their article in the following link, and look under the heading "Singer Castle" to see our mention... Official Tourism Bureau Article.

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Happy New Year's Eve Walleye Drop! Gifts for you (see details below)!

Happy New Year 2012 to you! I am accepting any interesting stories or photos regarding the Thousand Islands area or the St. Lawrence River that will help us get through this winter. Interesting stories from other parts of Upstate or Northern New York State (and nearby Canada) will be considered too, especially if it relates to river, lakes, castles or nature themes.

If I choose your story or photos to run here, while supplies last, you will win a brand-new 1GB USB Flash Drive, also known as a Thumb or Jump Drive. (Once per person, although your submissions are always welcome). It is a full gigabyte in capacity! Great for transferring data from computer to computer, or for storage. If you don't need a flash drive, ask me for my huge list of other free gifts available. (This offer may be discontinued at any time without notice). This blog concentrates on the area's two famous castles (Singer Castle and Boldt Castle), but the whole area is tied in together and therefore relevant. Please email submissions or questions to: mailbox [at] gold-mountain [dot] com (remember the dash), or send to P.O. Box 123, Jamesville NY 13078.

For our diehard fishing fans (and for anybody looking for something very unique), have you ever watched the New Year's Eve walleye fish drop in Port Clinton, OH at midnight on the web?  Or you can watch NewYork City's famous ball drop on your computer. Yes, its a wonderful life indeed!

Merry Christmas!

For your online Christmas celebration, here is an extraordinary site with all kinds of interesting links: Peggy's Christmas Place.

 

Meet the owner of Singer Castle, Dark Island!

Above, Farhad Vladi co-owner of Singer Castle, Dark Island. Picture courtesy of (and copyrighted by) Vladi Private Islands, (per Kim Lunman). Click on photos to see them larger.

Below, pictured again is co-owner of Singer Castle, Farhad Vladi with the President of Singer Castle, Tom Weldon. Photo courtesy of (and copyrighted by) Vladi Private Islands, per Kim Lunman, photographer and author.

Meet (in a virtual way) the co-owner of Singer Castle, Farhad Vladi, by reading this fabulous article in the online Thousand Islands Life Magazine. (The article first ran in Kim's beautiful print magazine, Island Life). This is a very interesting mini-biography of a successful business man by the award winning writer Kim Lunman, so check it out and enjoy!

Commodore Frederick G. Bourne's Weathervane at Singer Castle Restored

Pictured above: Singer Castle Tour Guide, Brianne Langtry of Brier Hill, with the castle’s newly polished weather vane. Click on photo to see it larger.

As early as ancient Roman times, weather vanes were used to show wind direction.  They were particularly useful to mariners who utilized wind direction and sky conditions to predict short-term weather conditions.  Commodore Frederick Bourne was an avid sailor and in 1902 when he had his castle constructed on Dark Island, he had a unique weather vane crafted to place on the highest peak of the castle’s roof.  The weather vane connected to a wind dial inside the castle allowing the Commodore or any of his guests to judge wind direction at a glance.  Constructed of brass with copper finials, the weathervane had a brass pennant style flag with a “B” on it that would cause the vane to turn as the winds changed direction.   Crossed arms with brass letters for north, south, east and west were fixed below the upper section of the weather vane and the flag’s position in relation to the letters would indicate the wind direction to those outside of the building. 

The weather vane is still operational today and Singer Castle staff members have spent that past two weeks cleaning and polishing the parts of the weather vane so that it will once again be a shining fixture for visitors to see on the roof of Commodore Bourne’s castle.

Above dispatch and photo by Jean Papke, Administrative Assistant to Singer Castle's President Tom Weldon. Below, photo of Singer Castle's weather vane in place before restoration, by Bob Mondore. Click on it.

Singer Castle: Through the Eyes of a Tour Guide

Pictured: Griff Stark-Ennis, author of this post.

(Click on photo to see it larger.)

This past Monday, as I rode the staff boat across the St. Lawrence River from Chippewa Bay to Dark Island, I glanced up as I drew nearer to my work destination. There Singer Castle sat gloomy and enigmatic against the distant Canadian landscape, draped in a summer’s heavy rain. I found myself wondering how I came to be a tour guide there. How is it that this historical and mysterious castle became my summer job and what exactly makes it special to me?

Last summer after attending college orientation in Boston I received a call from Singer Castle on Dark Island Tours explaining that they were seeking to fill a position at the castle. Like any other soon-to-be college kid, I was in great need of spending money so needless to say I accepted the position. I soon found myself memorizing hundreds of historical facts and stories preparing for my first tour, one that every “newbie” dreads. Now, I can proudly say that I have a well-structured, informative and – in my opinion – fun tour, one that took many days of practice and embarrassment to perfect.

One may think that giving tours day after day would get monotonous, but the truth is I find myself learning new things every day. Whether our historian finds something new for us to include in our tours, or if I, myself, come across some small but important castle detail, I am constantly learning, discovering and adding. But what about Singer Castle inspired me?

Singer Castle in itself represents something that every young American, like me, is striving to achieve: the “American Dream.” Frederick Bourne, the original owner of the castle, worked his way up from choirboy to president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company making him one of the wealthiest men in the world at that time. The castle stands as both historical and modern proof of what persistence mixed with big dreaming can bring one in life.

I consider myself very lucky for two reasons, the first being that I am fortunate enough to have a summer job in a time when many teenagers in the United States are left seasonably unemployed. The second reason is also the greatest reason I look forward in coming to Singer Castle every morning…and that’s the fact that I actually enjoy my work! I am on a beautiful river all day inside an equally as beautiful castle, working with students – both high school and college – who share many of the same aspirations as I.

Behind the walls of Singer Castle lies an eclectic and diverse sort of family, who together aim to educate people from all over the world about the great history that these very walls have witnessed. History is very much intertwined with the present, however, and I myself am becoming a part of Singer Castle’s historic greatness every day I am there. Like Mr. Bourne, the castle employees and I are seeking to better ourselves through teaching others and working hard. Stepping back into history to change the future? Sounds like an all right summer job to me.

This post received direct from Dark Island. Authored by the talented tour guide: Griff Stark-Ennis.

Cliff Yates’ Carvings Showcased at Singer Castle

A collection of Cliff Yates’ carvings and plaques will be on display and for sale in the Gift Shop at Singer Castle this season.  A self-taught woodcarver who specializes in birds, fish and wildlife, Cliff and his wife NeNe have spent their summers on Elm Tree Island in Chippewa Bay for the past fifty-six years.  He began carving in 1965 and over the years has refined his technique by carving hundreds of pieces, visiting craft shows and asking questions of other carvers. Cliff adds depth and dimension to his work with wood burning and acrylic paints.  Each piece takes many hours to complete.  Larger birds take 45-50 hours to complete: 15-20 hours to cut out, carve and sand with an additional 25 hours for wood burning and painting.  A smaller bird takes around 20-25 hours to complete.  

Retired from the Greece, NY Police Department in 1989, Cliff planned to spend his extra free time on his carving and fishing but in 1997 a serious stroke left Cliff partially paralyzed and unable to use his left hand.   Unwilling to give up carving, Cliff underwent extensive physical therapy and worked until he was able to walk, talk and carve again.  Cliff loves to share his art with others and is committed to passing on the art of woodcarving to a new generation of wood carvers.

Above news release direct from Dark Island.

A Quick Taste: History of Singer Castle.

 Commodore Frederick G. Bourne and his wife Emma are the couple in the center of the gathering. Click on the photo to see it larger.

Singer Castle – A Family Place

The five-story red roofed castle on Dark Island was built in the early 1900s as a "small hunting lodge" for Frederick Bourne who was the President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company from 1889-1905. Bourne and his family loved spending time at "The Towers" in the 1000 Islands and enjoyed the many activities that were available to residents and visitors alike. Boating, sailing, racing, tennis and golf were popular with the family in the summer and in the fall Bourne and his friends came for the duck hunting. After Bourne’s death in 1919 his youngest daughter Marjorie and her sister, May Bourne Strassburger purchased the castle from the estate. Marjorie Bourne and her husband Alexander Thayer continued to use and enjoy the castle with friends and family until the early 1960s.

From the mid-1960s to 2001 the castle, then called Jorstadt Castle was owned by the Dr. Harold Martin Evangelical Association and used for religious retreats and services. During those years families came to the castle for Sunday worship during the summer months.

In 2002 Dark Island was purchased by a group of island and castle enthusiasts who opened the castle for guided tours, overnight stays and weddings and special events. Now called Singer Castle after the source of much of Frederick Bourne’s fortune, it is once again a family place. Visitors of all ages enjoy coming to tour the fully furnished building and hearing about time gone by in the 1000 Islands. Overnight guests can pretend that they are the Kings and Queens or Princes and Princesses of the castle and Brides and Grooms can have their own Royal Wedding.

After visiting friends and "family," you can now keep track of the castle by visiting us on facebook, or by checking out the following websites:
singercastle.blogspot.com, www.singercastle.com, and www.thousandislandslife.com.

The castle is also featured in several recently published books and magazines including Bob and Patty Mondore’s Singer Castle Revisited, Patty Mondore’s River-Lations: Inspirational Stories and Photos of the 1000 Islands, Ian Corstine’s The very best of Ian Corstine’s 1000 Islands, Kathleen Quigley’s The Summer Cottage: Retreats of the 1000 Islands, Scott Ian Barry’s The Castles of New York, Mike Harwood’s The St. Lawrence River Rats and The Mystery of Singer Castle, Island Life Magazine published by Kim Lunman. Wealth TV has produced a feature on Singer Castle as part of a series entitled "Palatial Passport" and PBS continues to air its feature on Singer Castle.

Call 1-877-327-5475 for more information on Singer Castle.

The above dispatch and photo were received this day directly from Dark Island's president, Tom Weldon.

 

Not your usual Tour of the 1000 Islands - Wild Cat!

There is something new in the Thousand Islands, and it is a wild, high speed adventure cruise! It is like taking a tour and a circus ride at the same time. It is the Wild Cat ride/boat that takes you on a tour of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River. The 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises (in Brockville, Canada) has put together an awesome 3 minute tour on video that is a must see. See fantastic shots of Singer Castle on Dark Island (at 1:00) as well as Boldt Castle on Heart Island (at 1:43), exotic looking wildlife, light houses (including Sister Island Lighthouse near Dark Island), huge ships...and the spectular ride itself with 1,400 horsepower! The tour covers 38 nautical miles in less than 2 hours at speeds up to 40 knots (on the water, that is really moving). Not your typical boat tour! Get a taste of the exciting ride now by seeing the video below.

Powerful Picture of Singer Castle on Dark Island

Above is a powerfully beautiful shot of Singer Castle enveloped in fog with a large ship passing by. Photo taken by Jean Papke who is the Administrative Assistant to the castle's President Tom Weldon. Click on the photo to see it larger.

Post Author Extravaganza in Liverpool NY

We had an enjoyable time repping the Gold-Mountain line at the Liverpool Public Library celebrating National Library Week with an offering of our books and DVDs. At the same time we informed many about the wonderful 1000 Islands region and Singer Castle on Dark Island tours. We donated our hot-off-the-press book (River-Lations) to the library and had many enjoyable conversations with those who stopped by. We were particularly happy to have been able to give special encouragement to some who visited. Our thanks to the library staff for their hospitality. You can "Like" us on Facebook.

Strange anomalies documented on video from Dark Island?

Unusual anomalies Log date 4/1/11

Ian Coristine and PrairieCORE - 1000 Islands video collaboration

The following two movies are a powerful presentation of the Thousand Islands region. This is thanks to a collaboration with the 1000 Islands Photo Art giant: Ian Coristine and a company called PrairieCORE. See a glimpse of Singer Castle on Dark Island at 34 seconds into the first video and at 50 seconds into the second.

The first video is called 1000 Islands VOICES, and the second is called 1000 Islands PASSION. These are wonderfully produced and, of course, the photos by Ian Coristine are exquisitely stunning.

Stunning >>> 1000 Islands by George and Sean Fischer

This short video has some of the most colorful and brilliant photos you will see of the Thousand Islands. Photos include several of Boldt Castle throughout and also one of Singer Castle (at 1:20), plus more. Pleasent musical background.

George Fisher is the photographer and Sean Fischer is the talented jazz musician.

Harrowing tale of man & car crashing through ice on way to Singer Castle in winter!

The Thousand Islands Life (.com) just published a harrowing true story of a man & car crashing through the St. Lawrence River ice on the way over the river to Singer Castle in the winter time!

Amazingly still alive, this story is told by the driver himself  in incredible dramatic fashion. You will definitely want to read this story! Dan Denney, the author of the story (and the driver of the car) actually broke through the the frozen river with the car plunging to the bottom while he was trapped under the ice. Dan Denney once worked with WPBS-TV (Watertown, NY), as well as with the famous artist Michael Ringer, and has a long list of other wonderful credits to his name.

I won't give away the details of the story (it is too fascinating for that), so just go ahead and click on the direct link to the story: Through the Ice - A Tale of Survival.

Below is a picture of Singer Castle in the wintertime, sent to me by the castle's caretaker, Scott Garris. Click on it to see it larger.

New Year gifts for you! And the Walleye Drop for New Year's Eve (Midnight).

Happy New Year to you! I am accepting any interesting stories or photos regarding the Thousand Islands area or the St. Lawrence River that will help us get through this winter. If I choose your story or photos to run here, you will instantly win a brand-new 1GB USB Flash Drive (also known as a Thumb or Jump Drive). It is a full gigabyte in capacity! Great for transferring data from computer to computer, or for storage. This blog concentrates on the area's two famous castles (Singer Castle and Boldt Castle), but the whole area is tied in together and therefore relevant. Please email to: mailbox [at] gold-mountain [dot] com (remember the dash), or send to P.O. Box 123, Jamesville NY 13078.

For our diehard fishing crowd (and for anybody looking for something very unique), have you ever watched the live walleye fish drop in Port Clinton, OH at midnight on the web? ("Live" meaning you can see it in real-time through their webcams on the web). If you are watching the New Year's Eve ball drop down in New York City on your TV anyway, you can have this on your computer going at the same time. Yes, a very exciting life indeed!

Merry Christmas!

For your online Christmas celebration, here is an extraordinary site with all kinds of interesting links: Peggy's Christmas Place.

Beaver sets up winter home at Singer Castle, Dark Island

Scott Garris, the caretaker of Singer Castle (and therefore the king of the castle for the winter) has a new subject. A beaver has set up shop in Singer Castle's South Boat House which also houses Dark Island's Gift Shop. The beaver photo above is courtesy of Wikipedia. The report and actual pictures of the beaver's new home below are from the scene by Scott Garris.

"The south boat house had part of it decked over to make room for a gift shop. The boat bay is under the decking. I have noticed that a beaver has been taking small trees and branches for a few weeks  now, but have not seen him. There is snow on the ground now and I have not seen any tracks. I thought he was gone.

On December 18, 2010 I was letting the boat warm up. The sun was shining and I could see a pile of branches in the boat slip under the gift shop. I know that the wind has been blowing down stream so I wondered how long the branches had been there. As I looked further in I could see a small beaver home in the back on the right. I have also been seeing short branches (8 to 12 inches long) with no bark and sharp on both ends, floating in the boat house for the last week. I guess I have a  guest for the winter." 

---Scott Garris, Singer Castle on Dark Island

Below is a picture of the South Boat House with Singer Castle looming in the background.

Castle photo by Robert J. Mondore. Click on the photos to see them larger.

Paradise Market - Dewitt/Syracuse NY & Gold-Mountain

Do you live in central New York State and are looking for an interesting and inspiring gift related to the Thousand Islands? Gold-Mountain's inspirational multimedia (DVDs, CDs and books) which features documentaries and music videos with the lovely St. Lawrence River's region as the backdrop. We are well represented in the Islands and Watertown, but now are represented in the Syracuse area at the Paradise Market with an enormous parking area. 


[Update 1/2/11: The holidays are over and our rep is no longer available at Paradise. But I still recommend the wonderful Paradise Market, and you can still order at Gold-Mountain.com with our renowned service and free surprises.]

Paradise Market is located at 3179 Erie Blvd. in Syracuse/DeWitt NY 13214 in what used to be the Hechinger Plaza. Billed as "fun for all", it is an 80,000 square feet shopping bazaar with over 200 shops and restaurants under one roof, and is well heated. The market is only open every Friday (12 p.m. through 8 p.m.), Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m through 6 p.m.).

Where can our multimedia be found in this enormous bazaar?

We are located right in front of King David's Restaurant stand near the enormous "rest rooms" sign. 

Below is the floor plan where we easily can be found.

The red dot below is where Photos by "K" (owned by Karen) can be found and prominently displayed there is a boat with our unique gift DVDs, CDs, and books. The green dots are at the main entrance of the building. Also featured in this (red) spot are photos by Linda Long Photography. (Click on any of these pictures to see them larger).

Note the boat-shaped display below which contains the special booty.

Visit us at www.Gold-Mountain.com online to get a taste of Bob and Patty Mondore's works.

Items on the boat at this time include:

"Dark Island's Castle of Mysteries" - the renown Singer Castle on Dark Island documentary DVD; 

Singer Castle Revisited - book; 

River-Lations - music video DVD; 

A Good Paddling - book; 

Heaven & Nature Sing - music video DVD (music CD also available); 

Proclaim His Praise in the Islands - music video DVD (music CD also available); 

Wondrous Love - music CD; 

Treasure of Your Love - music CD.

Please email  me with any questions. Let me know how your experience is at the Paradise Market.

[1/2/11 UPDATE:   The holidays are over and our rep is no longer available at Paradise. But I still recommend the wonderful Paradise Market, and you can still order at Gold-Mountain.com with our renowned service and free surprises.]