- Association Island
Association Island is a 65-acre island located at the northern tip of Stony Point, a
peninsula into the eastern end ofLake Ontario . A part of the Town ofHenderson, New York in Jefferson County, the island is about 16 miles southwest of Watertown at coord|43.90|N|76.21|W|. A 1300-foot two-lane causeway connects to the mainland.History
The island was a landmark for Native American tribes who held war and peace councils in the area. [ [http://www.hendersonhistoricalsociety.com/hhs02.html Henderson Historical Society ] ] In 1746 the French built a fort on the island, abandoning it in 1758. [ [http://www.elfun.org/history/marker.asp Elfun Society History - French Canadian Outpost ] ]
In 1905 the
National Electric Light Association bought the island, which resulted in the name "Association Island." NELA management used it for meetings.General Electric , after it acquired NELA in 1911. also used the island for company meetings until 1959 when the island was donated to theYMCA . TheElfun Society , a management organization and think-tank within GE was founded on the island in 1928. (The Society's logo is a drawing of a large elm tree from the island [ [http://www.elfun.org/history/ Elfun Society History - Founding ] ] ).Kurt Vonnegut based some of the material in his book "Player Piano ", on GE's meetings and activities at the island. [ [http://www.vonnegutweb.com/playerpiano/pp_scholesinterview.html KURT VONNEGUT: Player Piano related Playboy Interview ] ]The
YMCA ran a boy'ssummer camp on the island for several years until abandoning it after 1967.A non-profit group ran sailing and wind boarding competitions on the island in the 1970s. The US sailing team was based there while preparing for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, which held sailing competitions at
Kingston, Ontario , about 30 miles to the north.The island became a privately owned
RV park and resort in 1999.References
External links
* Photographs of Association Island [http://www.elfun.org/history/island.asp] [http://www.associationislandresort.com/PhotoGallery.htm]
* Historical photographs [http://www.elfun.org/history/photos.asp]
* Association Island history [http://www.associationislandresort.com/History.htm] [http://www.elfun.org/history/history.asp]
* Association Island RV Resort & Marina [http://www.associationislandresort.com/]
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