Alex Bay
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Alexandria Bay, as well as the surrounding area, has always been a location
that was noted for its beauty, its vast resources and its spiritual being. Long
before Europeans sailed over and settled into North America, the tribes of the
Iroquois Indians called this area home. They lived and flourished richly off the
treasures found in the waters and on the land. It is estimated that European
settlers and missionaries began venturing into Upstate New York in the late
1500’s or early 1600’s and they too fell in love with the paradise.
James LeRay, a landholder in the early 1800s, had this area surveyed. He liked
what he found and created a settlement. Alexandria Bay was founded at this time
(1817 – 1818) and named for his son Alexander. Because of the location it didn’t
take long for the little settlement to become a busy port. During the late
1800’s Alexandria Bay became a bustling community and a major fueling stop for
steam ships traveling the St. Lawrence River.
Alexandria Bay continued to grow and at times seem to burst at the seams with
affluent visitors from all over the country wanting to soak up the luxury
offered at the extravagant hotels or on the opulent boats cruising the river.
Prosperity was the norm and this was the composition of Alexandria Bay, until
the depression hit. The depression was devastating to this area. The once
wealthy visitors no longer had any money so they no longer visited the area.
Businesses closed, many people lost jobs and the economy of the area, like the
rest of the nation, crashed.
After The Great Depression Alexandria Bay never regained her grandeur again.
Some of the grand homes remain today but many of the homes burned during the
depression, some of them under suspicious circumstances. The luxury hotels are
also gone with only the written accounts of the grand parties and beautiful
people remaining.
A large boost to the area economy occurred in the 1950s with the opening of the
St. Lawrence Seaway which linked the Great Lakes region to global markets. Work
on the Seaway began in September 1954. This was a mammoth project. New bridges
were either modified (without disrupting traffic) or built, new channels were
dug and existing ones dredged. Excavators uncovered rock formations so tough
that new methods and stronger machinery were needed. The related power
development flooded 100 square miles; land was expropriated and entire
communities were resettled. Some 6,500 people were moved to new homes and
approximately 550 dwellings were moved. Completion of the joint U.S.-Canadian
St. Lawrence Seaway navigation project was completed in 4 short years.
Today Alexandria Bay and the 1000 Islands Region is an international destination
for a wide variety of tourists. The waters of the St. Lawrence River have a
year-round beauty, perfect for the nature lover and the sportsman. On shore you
will find quaint shops, restaurants and things to do that will fill a day in a
blink of an eye! Whether you are looking for family activities, world-class
fishing, romantic evenings, top-notch dive sites or just a little rest or
relaxation, then Alexandria Bay is the place to be!
Jeri Winkler
The Secret Assistant
Jeri@TheSecretAssistant.com
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