Dark Island

Dark Island, a prominent feature of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, is located in the lower (eastern) Thousand Islands region, near Chippewa Bay. It is a part of the Town of Hammond, in St. Lawrence County, New York.

An historic landmark on the island, "The Towers", was long known as "Dark Island Castle" until recently renamed "Singer Castle". The island is situated only a few yards south of the Canada-United States border that runs along the river.

The south side of the island is only about one hundred feet from the shipping channel, and cargo ships frequently pass the island. Because of the depth of the channel on one side, and the relative shallowness on the other, it is very good for sport fishing of largemouth bass and northern pike.

Most of the architectural work at Dark Island is attributed to the prominent American architect Ernest Flagg. His client was Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of the Singer Manufacturing Company (now the Singer Corporation), producer of the Singer Sewing Machine. His daughter, Marjorie Bourne Thayer, made large additions in 1928. Flagg also designed the skyscraper headquarters for the company in New York City, the tallest building in the world at the time. Flagg is known for many major American projects, such as the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.

The island's castle was the last of several "castles" built at the Thousand Islands during a brief interval (1888–1905). Bourne undertook the project while the larger Boldt Castle was nearing completion nearby. The architect modeled the stone structure, planned in 1903, on a castle in that was described in Sir Walter Scott's book Woodstock.

Following the 1919 death of Frederick Bourne, his daughter Marjorie (Mrs. Alexander D. Thayer) took title to the property. Her ownership was contested by a brother, but she retained title.

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