Lynn E. McElfresh

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Ghost Stories

Islanders at the turn of the century didn’t wait until Halloween to enjoy ghosts. Ghost parties and ghost dances were popular...

Volume 14, Issue 10, October 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

Betty White

She was the talk of Grenell Island—Murray Isle too. “Did you see the new set of ducklings? One of them is white.” Well, in all honesty, she

Volume 14, Issue 9, September 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

And Then There Was Light

Before August 1st, 1929, Grenell Island was dark at night. Imagine a world lit by lamplight.

Volume 14, Issue 8, August 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

2019.06.18 - Year of the Boot II (The Sequel)

Sequels are the bread and butter of Hollywood, so Mother Nature decided to jump on the bandwagon and create a sequel of her own. High Water once again...

Volume 14, Issue 7, July 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

South Bay

I love South Bay! It was the first section of the River I explored my first year on the island back in 1975.

Volume 14, Issue 6, June 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

The Cliff House Mystery

From the very beginning, Cliff House was a mystery. The Cliff House became a curiosity. Islanders from far and near flocked to the deserted hotel to wander through the furnished rooms.

Volume 14, Issue 5, May 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

Gliding Back in Time

What better way to start a day on the island than with a row in a St. Lawrence River Skiff?

Volume 14, Issue 4, April 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

Island of Strong Women

It goes something like this. Back in the mid-18th century, two Irish girls were given the choice to either marry or become nuns.

Volume 14, Issue 3, March 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

What Kind of Islander Are You?

A description of living in the Thousand Islands for only one week, or as an almost-permanent islander... What kind of Islander are you?

Volume 14, Issue 2, February 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

Party Like It’s 1899!

Description of parties as far back as 1899 on Grenell Island in the Thousand Islands. Dances (Hops) were even more popular then!

Volume 14, Issue 1, January 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh

The Sheriff of Grenell

Even fifty years ago, the need for a sheriff seemed laughable. In her July 1965 Thousand Islands Sun column, Grenell Island correspondent...

Volume 13, Issue 12, December 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

The River at Night

The River teaches us lessons and I learned mine one night while ki-YAKKING - thankfully without catastrophie

Volume 13, Issue 11, November 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

The Annual

Sometime in August — just as the summer season is coming to a close — five River women set aside a day just for themselves alone on the River.

Volume 13, Issue 10, October 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

Friendship Islands

Island life can be, well…insular. So, when Billie Jo of Murray Isle proposed an annual event that would allow area islanders to get together and meet each other, I immediately agreed. The event—The Friendship Cup

Volume 13, Issue 9, September 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

Wish They All Could Be Summer Girls

In the 1960s, the Beach Boys were crooning about California Girls. But in the late 19th century, a young man’s thoughts of summer romance was focused on the Summer Girl.

Volume 13, Issue 8, August 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

The Glorious Fourth of Yesteryear

Independence Day, or the Glorious Fourth, was a hugely celebrated affair back in the Gilded Age. Congress didn’t d...

Volume 13, Issue 7, July 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh

Let it Rain!

When was the last time you saw a rainy day postcard? Sure, we all like the postcard view of the world. The one where the...

Volume 13, Issue 6, June 2018
Lynn E. McElfresh