H

arbour Lights Lighthouses

HarbourLights.com

Crossover Island New York
Christmas 2002
Harbour Lights #714

Many folks wonder what life was like at a lighthouse. Keeping the flame and saving shipwreck victims was certainly valiant, even romantic. Some could imagine writing a “great novel” with all the spare time you’d have. But what if you lived on an island with no gas, electricity, running water, heat, telephone, radio, television or indoor plumbing and no central heating. Still sounds okay? Imagine having seven children and living on an island, about an acre in size, out in the middle of a river. Although the rustic charm certainly has an appeal, it is highly unlikely that you’d be doing any writing. Working would be more likely, just to live and tend the light so that others may reach their destinations safely.

Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River is a small strip of land that marks the area where ships crossover from Canadian to American waters. Hence, mariners named the spot Crossover Island. Officials first established a lighthouse here in 1848, erecting a structure that was ill equipped for the severe weather conditions. So in 1882, workers completely rebuilt the light station and keepers quarters, improving the design for a sentinel that would last.

A one and a half story, Queen Anne-style keepers quarters accompanied the new cast iron tower and the lantern room held a sixth order Fresnel lens. The architectural plans used for the dwelling were the same as those used at the Tibbetts Point and Marblehead light stations. Other structures inhabiting the small isle included a boathouse, storage shed, smokehouse, hen house, barn, privy, oil house and dock, each serving a very utilitarian purpose in its time.

One keeper, Daniel David Hill, served from 1909 to 1931, recording over 400 rescues, including three passengers of a bi-plane that crashed near the island. Hill’s son, Ralph, recalls growing up at the lighthouse and living a full life of hardship and joy.

Ralph E. Hill reminisces, "We could see as far as Blue Mountain on the Canadian side, all the farm houses on the American side, four miles upstream to Chippewa Point, and eight miles downstream to the narrows and islands. With this range, we could watch the storms as they built up and moved across the river bringing the rain, snow or wind and waterspouts that would sometimes accompany them. We could see the strange phenomenon known as a mirage, where the islands and the castle on Dark Island would appear to be suspended in mid-air. A steamboat coming down from Chippewa Point would appear to be floating along above the water."

"The cellar was blasted out of solid rock. In one corner it has a large cistern to catch all of the rainwater that is pumped up into the kitchen with an old-fashioned pitcher pump. Cooking was done on a big heating stove in the living room that also burned coal. We had the pleasure of fresh clean air, swimming, fishing and the ever-changing scenery of the steamboats, big passenger steamers and stately yachts. "

"Father, along with caring for and maintaining the light station, spent time in his workshop making furniture and repairing rowboats and canoes. We seven children entertained ourselves swimming and fishing and exploring some of the other islands and creeks that run inland on both sides of the river. Mother had her flower gardens and sewing to do during her spare time. It was a hard life, but a full and interesting one."

Crossover Island Lighthouse was deactivated and replaced by an offshore skeletal buoy in 1941. The sentinel is currently privately owned and used as a summer cottage. It remains in excellent condition.

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