July 2020
This week, a photo essay of the Furgary Boat Club in the North Bay, via kayak. Hop in the river, head north, take your first right.
Photos taken by Rich Volo for TrixiesList.com.
Please do not copy/duplicate without permission. Thank you.
Photo: TrixiesList.com
The dock of this house is made of cement cylinders. These cylinders, in local lore, are referred to as “testers”. Every batch of cement at the cement plant was tested, and created a cement cylinder. Workers brought home these cement cylinders, and found uses for them. Some “testers” are used as patio decorations, or some, like these, turned into a dock.
If you are interested in renting a kayak, contact Hudson Paddles.
Trixie! Thanks so much for posting those photos. Sadly, we’ve agreed to tear down the first batch of your close-ups, and many more, but to save the remaining half dozen we need this communities’ help. It’s the last thing of its kind on the Hudson River, even made eligible for listing (by SHPO) on the National Register of Historic Places. But right now nobody has any idea this is such a close-run thing! We really need people to chip in soon (spiritually only, I promise), and reinvigorate their former interest in the shacks. Much appreciated, Timothy O’Connor
Thanks, Trixie for the photographs. This is a good record, complementing Lisa Durfee’s. . What a shame this dilapidation has been allowed to happen. As Tim says, people will have to act fast to save even what was deemed to be saved by the DRI.
With former ‘owners’ alienated and gone by attrition, (sadly Debbie of Debbie and Hank who had one there for a generation or two, passed away just this past week – she was a fervent advocate, RIP). There is too little interest or organization of the people who really care and thanks to Tim for his constant watchdogging and yourself for your interest. Like the Sloop Eleanor, It could be a charming part of Hudson’s history.
Please let me know how to help. I love these shacks so much. I love their history. I love their uniqueness. I’m in!
Glad you published the photos of a place close to my heart. I recently toured a friend and was saddened at the decay that happens when the people, who used to engage their activities there, the care takers, are gone. I’m not in favor of creating a museum of this activity, which landmark status surely would provoke. Lets allow people to inhabit their shacks and come up with a way for more to be involved in a similar organic expansion along the river. Even if it will be limited by a certain circumference of lawful building activity. Development has to be organic or we will live in a catalogue like, sterile world along the Hudson River. No cookie cutter thinking, please!
So sad to see the houses so dilapidated! I first saw them years ago (2009 maybe) on a train ride north to Troy and was intrigued by the local history.
My recollection is that they were much more vibrant looking at the time, though I may hold some idealized picture in my head.
Glad to hear that some of the structures will be saved, sad that it took so many years for a resolution and that so much of local importance is forgotten.