Zurich Citizens News, 1970-05-21, Page 5THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1.970
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
S.E. ONTARIO TOUR HAS 1, 000 ISLANDS - Where rustlers once found the Thousand Islands'
jigsaw pattern an ideal hideaway for stolen steeds, today sleek craft like these in the shadow of the
Ivy Lee International Bridge take visitors through a panorama of superlative scenery and palatial
resorts. (Photo by Ontario Department of Tourism and Information)
Thousand Islands Big Tourist Attraction
Escapades of rum -runners,
horse thieves and notorious
river pirate animate: the robust
annals of southeastern Ontario's
renowned Thousand Islands re-
gion.
Those renegades of a bygone
era have vanished. However,
this Canadian province's superb
vacation area, directly north
of New York State, still retains
all its inherent color and vitality
Where rustlers once found the
islands' jigsaw pattern an ideal
hideaway fro stolen steeds, to-
day sleek craft take visitors
through a panorama of magnif-
icent scenery and palatial re-
sorts.
Where the storied outlaw,
Bill Johnston (1782-1870) attack-
ed British shipping and raided
the Canadian mainland from a
base on Wolfe Island, ferries
now bring sightseers from King-
ston, Ontario on the north and
Cape Vincent, N.Y. on the
south. Older residents still refer
to this westernmost of the famed
island chain, which extends
eastward in the St. Lawrence
for more than 50 miles, as
Whiskey Island, probably a clue
to early smuggling activities.
And if "Thousand Islands"
is a misnomer, it's definitely
on the mini -side-- for there are
1, 740 of them actually register-
ed.
But, as beauteous as they are,
the Thousand Islands comprise
just one of the major attractions
to be explored in this southeast
corner of Ontario.
Fort Henry, at Kingston, is
the scene of an annual invasion-
--this time of tens of thousands
of tourists who come to watch
the parade of the Fort Henry
Guard. The impeccable drill
of this garrison of hand-picked
Canadian univeristy students,
dressed in uniforms of British
regiments of the 1860's and fir-
ing weapons of the era, is world-
famous and one of the most pho-
tographed spectacles in all of
Canada.
Gateway to the St. Lawrence
Seaway, Kingston is also the
starting point of another of
Ontario's great inland waterways
--the Rideau Canal which leads
through the Rideau Lakes resort
country to the city of Ottawa.
Lying in the heartland of the
Thousand Islands district and one
of its popular embarking points
for cruises is Gananoque, a
favourite port for visiting yachts-
men with its marinas and doc1:-
side shopping areas. From Gan
anoque and nearby Rockport,
cruises thread through a maze
of islands and channels, past
such intriguingly named feat-
ures as Benson s Rift, Fiddler's
Elbow, Smuggler;s Cove, lux-
urious summer homes and the
shortest international bridge in
the world.
There's a stopover at Heart
Island to explore Boldt Castle,
a memorial to the shattered
dream of a German immigrant
who began to work as a dish-
washer in New York and be
came a multi -millionaire.
George Boldt planned the huge,
Rhine -style castle and a colony
of 11 buildings for his wife. Near-
ing completion with close to
$3 million spent, work was sud-
denly stopped in 1902 on the
death of Mrs. Baldt and the fab-
ulous structure has since been
deserted.
On Hill Island, near IveyLea,
the Skydeck towering 400 eet
above the St. Lawrence River
offers a superlative 40 -mile
view of the island -filled water-
way. It is at this point that the
Thousand Island International
Bridge soars into the sky, island -
hopping its way to the U.S.
shores.
From here visitors readily
reach Brockville,another favour-
ite starting place for the pict-
uresque Thousand Island cruises,
and a city of charm and stately
homes and mansions line its
waterfront.
Eastward brings the traveller
to Upper Canada Village, the
historic showpiece of south-
eastern Ontario. More than
40 homes and buildings have
been restored and relocated to
tell the story of the develop-
ment of a typical river corn-
munity about 1784-1867.
Both the Village and adjacent
Memorial Park are operated by
the St. Lawrence Parks Com-
mission which maintains a 170 -
mile chain of parks, camp and
trailer sites along the river and
a championship -caliber golf
course near Upper Canada Vil-
lage.
A few miles from Upper Can-
ada Village is the Long Sault
Parkway which links a series of
islands which were inland hill-
tops prior to the flooding of
the Seaway Valley. Sightseeing
cruises from Long Sault take
visitors on a tour of the seaway
locks and canals.
'Straddling the river at- Corn-
wall is the Robert H. Saunders -
St. Lawrence Generating Stat-
ion, key to the joint U.S. Can-
adian seaway, power and dev-
elopment projects. Tours of
the station are conducted, with
films showing progressive steps
of the project.
At the northern edge of the
region is Ottawa, the Canadian
capital. There, the problem
is not what to see, but how to
see it all. Among its new feat-
ures is the $46.4 million Nat-
ional Arts Centre --home of the
performing arts in Canada --
second largest in the world,
next to Lincoln Center in New
York.
An ever -popular attraction
is the colorful changing -of -the -
guard ceremony in front of the
Parliament Buildings. And few
tourists leave without a picture
of one of the ramrod -straight
Mounties in their scarlet tunics,
blue breeches and broad -brim-
med hats, standing sentinel at
Parliament's doors. Inspring,
two million tulips blossom amid
a sea of millions of daffodils
PAGE rnve
To wn Ta
Mr. and Mrs. Claude Blowes,
Preston, were weekend visitors
with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gascho at
their cottage at Schade View.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Klopp,
and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ron
Klopp, and. Richard Klopp, were
weekend visitors with their par-
ents Mr. and Mrs. Howard. Klopp.
l'Ir. and Mrs. Don O'Brien and
family, spent the holiday week-
end in Niagara Falls at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Bill O'Brien.
Mr. and Mrs. Graham Farquhar
and Julie, Kitchener, and Mr.
and Mrs. Bill Yungblut and fam-
ily, of London, visited with Mr.
Ivan Yungblut over the weekend.
Mr. and Mrs. Wes Hugill, Beth
and Gary, Kitchener, spent Sun-
day visiting with relatives in Zur-
ich.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene O'Brien
and family spent the weekend
visiting with friends at their cot-
tage near Douglas Point.
Mr. and Mrs. Mike O'Flaherty
and family, Toronto were week-
end visitors with Mr. and Mrs.
Don Oke and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Dolph Allen,
Manitoulin Island, are visiting
;with Mr. and Mrs, Jim Parkins.
(They also attended the Parkins -
Erb wedding on Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Garnet Walper,
Michigan, spent the weekend
in Grand Bend and Zurich visiting
with relatives. They also attend-
ed the Parkins -Erb wedding.
A bus load will be leaving
Zurich Township Hall. at 8:00
a. in. for New Hamburg Mennon-
ite Relief Auction on May 30th..
Everyone welcome. Plans are
to be back in Zurich by 6:00 p.m
Anyone interested, call Mrs.
Dan Steckle, Mrs. Arnold Merri-
er or Mrs. Tom Meyers. Price
is $1.50 return.
Marcia Merner has been
accepted at the Victoria Hospital
School of Nursing, beginning
September 3, 1970.
and crocuses.
Here visitors can see the Mint,
the National Gallery which
houses a brilliant collection of
Canadian art, the new National
Museum of Science and Tech-
nology, and there are downtown
shopping malls and boutiques to
explore.
Literally a fisherman's parad-
ise, the Rideau Lakes and Thou-
sand Islands region with its prof-
usion of shoals abounds with
species ranging from bass, great
northern pike, trout, walleye
and muskellunge to panfish.
Experienced guides and licences
are available.
It's a boating wonderland as
well, where you niay bring your
own craft or rent by the day or
week from numerous marinas.
Too, there are several rental
outlets for the growingpopulat-
ion of houseboat holiays. Child-
ren may splash in the safety of
supervisedswimmingpools and
sandy beaches.
From modern motor hotels,
motels and hotels in the larger
centers to homey lodes and
cottages in smaller villages
and rustic cabins just off the
beaten track, there is accom-
modation to suit every taste
and budget.
Southeast Ontario counts its
islands in thousands --with at-
tractions to match.
For further information about •
this vacation playground, write:
Press Officer, Department of
Tourism and Information, 185
Bloor St. E., Toronto 285, Ont.
Emmanuel UCW
Host Daughters
The United Church Women
held their mother and daughter
meeting on Thursday, May 11
at 8 p.m.
Mrs. Leonard Erb, the con-
venor, opened the meeting with
a reading for young mothers.
This was followed by the hymn,
"Jesus.Loves Me." Mrs. Erb
introduced the topic for the ev-
ening, which was "Family Life."
The scripture lesson was read
by Mrs. M. Deitz. A prayer for
youth was given by Mrs. Erb.
Sharon and Raye Jacobe enter-
tained with several duets with
the piano and steel, electric
guitar.
The hymn, "Are you Able, "
was sung. Mrs. Leonard Merner
read an article about mother's
and grandmothers.
Raye Jacobe favored with some
selections on his guitar. The
offering was taken by Mrs. Leon-
ard. Merner and Mrs. L. Jacobe.
The topic on "Family Life"
was capably given by Mrs. L.
Jacobe, This included the life
history of the "Vanier's, and how
the Vanier Institute" originated.
The hymn, "A Mother's Pray-
er Has Followed Me" was sung.
Mrs. Erb closed the program
with prayer and turned the bus-
iness over to the president, Mrs.
G. Bullock. Lunch was served and
aeriod of fellowship was enjoy-
ed by all.
Don't wash ice -cube trays
in hot water --most have a spec-
ial finish that makes ice easy to
remove. Hot water damages the
finish.
N TICE
EXETER ONTARIO HYDRO
CUSTOMERS
Effective
JUNE , 197
T1IE
EXETER AREA OFFICE
will be closed — all future business
will be handled through
CLINTON AREA OFFICE
BOX 189
CLINTON, ONTARIO
Phone 482-9651 or Zenith 28220