Gerald D. writes: "Was
originally a home and later it served as a Sanitarium for contagious disease.
Much later it was storage for hardware supply that operated from added wing on
right. Now defunct." Howard S. writes: "Formally the Ken Brown and sons
John Deere dealership, then became a sometimes open hardware store, it is now
closed and used for storage."
Derryl
J. writes: "Just wondering if the barn belonged to the Millers, Bonaparte and
Rosa and son, Frank, my ancestors. They farmed there from the 1840s to the early
1900s."
Taken on 05/07/09 Mill ruins in Glen
Park, Route 12E/Route 190, along the Black River As of Fall 2022 most of the ruins have been demolished and removed, the only thing that remains are the walls and floor. See photos on this page. A website visitor sent me the following three
beautiful shots that her and her husband took while exploring. I snapped
the above photo from the road for perspective on the following photos (amazing
how you can drive by something a thousand times and never notice it). For
a lot more photos click this other OABONNY page. These
are the remains of the C.R. Remington and Sons Paper Company's paper and pulp
mill. Sometime between 1884 and 1893 C.R. Remington and his family
incorporated a paper mill business, with a capital of $225,000. They then
had constructed a dam up across the Black River at Glen Park (210 feet long with
13 gates), built the above
paper mill and another one further down the river. This mill was completed
on January 1st, 1889. On March 1st, 1891 the machinery in the mill was
shut down for repairs and high water almost completely destroyed the mill;
scattered equipment and collapsed the roof and some of the walls. The collapse
also injured one man and killed another; John Murphy, aged 65 or 68.
Damage was estimated at about $50,000 to $75,000 and would take four months to
repair (thanks to Anita for some of the above research and for sending us more
docs to search through). In 1927 the mill burned largely to the ground (thanks to Scannerman for this research) Milo L. Cleveland and his
company built the mill for Remington, Cleveland's company also built the Opera
House, The Elks Building, and the former Cleveland Building in Watertown.
After eighteen years of operation the mill was sold to the International Paper
Company in 1899. For
more info about Glen Park go
here. For a photo of the remains of the old Glen Park Bridge over to the
amusement park go to this page. For a lot
more photos click this other OABONNY page.
On
12/11/12 Derryl R. Johnson writes "My Great-great grandfather was John
Murphy who was killed in the unfortunate accident in 1891. For a full account of
this tragic accident, visit the Watertown Daily Times archives of March 2, 1891,
titled 'A Big Pulp Mill in Ruins.'" On
9/19/2022 Katie writes "This structure is currently being torn down :("
The
two following aerial photos were taken by the webmaster from the backseat of a
Piper Cub, while on a photography flight with a friend:
Taken on 11/18/09
For a lot more photos click this other OABONNY page.
Here's another photo, this time by
Aaron Hall, he writes: "Thanks for those mill pics. I had to go check that out
for myself, I've been by there 1000 times and had never thought to check that
out." Here's the
link to his original pic.
Taken the first
weekend of May '09 by Mike & Dawn M The abandoned Mary
McClellan Hospital, Cambridge NY (NE of Albany, about 30 miles east of Saratoga) Mike and Dawn write that it's an amazing site of 124 acres, and was a 74 bed
hospital (built in 1917, the "gift" of a successful local "son" and named after
his mother), boiler house, administrative offices, and Nightingale Hall, a
nursing dormitory built in 1922. An amazing site with an amazing history. There
were still dishes in the sink of the kitchen and is a heli-pad where choppers
would land to transport critical patients to more progressive medical centers.
There is an senior residence that was abandoned as recently as last year; the
beds are still made as if waiting for someone to come sleep in them, however the
cactus in the lobby is in desperate need of water. Currently owned by Woodcock
Realty, which went bankrupt before it could be returned to it's former glory.
Raema S M writes: "I am a graduate of MMC school of nursing
1967, I recently went to Cambridge to rekindle some old memories along with
another grad. from North Carolina. We were quite taken back by the condition of
Florence Nightengale Residence, as we looked in the window we could note believe
how a beautiful and once charming building could have been in such disrepair. We
are very saddened to know that it was not closed up properly after its
retirement and was left to ruin Its disheartening to see a ounce stately and
elegant building in such a state. We only wish someone had cared enough and
respected it enough to close it properly until it could have been sold. There is
wonderful history and many caring nurses who have passed through its doors, it
was by far the best program for LPN'S."
Some
research from Mike and Dawn; "Edwin McClellan who grew up in Washington County
and loved the town of Cambridge graduated from Yale in 1884 as a pharmacist. He
was involved with the morphine imports with China in the early 1900's and came
up with the formula for Doan's Pills. This made him a very wealthy man and
because Cambridge was a farming town, pride did not come with money so he gave
it back to the community. He was even thoughtful enough to erect this hospital
up in the hills so as not to disrupt the agriculture and economics of the town.
I could not understand why there are tennis courts up there and have since
learned that he put them there to lure city doctors to the hospital. Apparently
there was no golf back then.....tennis was the doctor game. They started
construction in 1917 and January of 1919 dedicated the hospital in memory of his
mother, Mary McClellan. Edwin's brother Robert also became a wealthy man and in
1922 built and dedicated the nursing student dormitory in the back of the
hospital, Florence Nightingale Hall. They had a contract with Skidmore and NYC
colleges for nurses to do there clinical training there...again trying to entice
people from the city. Edwin died only five years after the hospital was built.
It closed six years ago after filing for bankruptcy. There is a heliport there
but we learned that because they could never afford state of the art equipment
they often had to run patients to Albany Medical Center or Vermont hospitals as
they did not have the facilities. The Mary McClellan Guest Home which was
assisted living for dementia patients closed January of 2008. Woodcock Estates
had bought the property but only had that small building open, which was built
in the 70's. They too went bankrupt. So there it sits...........dishes in the
sink, Monopoly game on the table........from the hospital, to the ER, to the
assisted living........they left everything, walked out and closed the door."
Linda B. writes "I too was
a graduate from Mary McClellan...1969..I went back for one reunion with my
class. The view from the top of our nursing residence brings back fond memories
because the summer before we graduated we went up there with blankets off our
beds to sunbathe, Little did we know that the warm tar from the roof would get
all over them. we hid them in our closets but were found by the cleaning staff
as the roof was |OFF LIMITS...Boy did we get in trouble. I drove up there ever
year till just after it closed on my way to the car show in Bennington Vermont.
I was so sad to see it empty and going down hill. Our residence had such
beautiful architectural detail. I had a lot of good memories there and yes....it
was the best |LPN school in the state. I am still working at my hospital in my
41st year there.....Thanks for the pics...and the jog down memory lane." Gerri M. B. writes "I graduated from Mary McClellan School of
Nursing in 1976. Such an excellent nursing education and wonderful program. It
saddens me to see the once so full of life and laughter abandoned and in ruin.
Shirley Mulligan was DON and Mrs. Bye was our house mother. I would love further
updates if anyone has any. Thank you for sharing these photos!" Deborah
L. writes "I graduated from MMc. 1976. I too remember Mrs Mulligan. I
spent many weekends alone there because I lived on Long Island and had no
transportation. The woods behind the school was full of lilly of the Valley in
the spring and it was beautiful. Winter was just as nice, however that hill was
terrible to get up! I am thankful for a great education in nursing MMc provided
a wonderful foundation to continue my education on."
On
1/17/12 Deanna Moon writes "Born here Aug. 20, 1962. I was born
here on Aug. 20, 1962 to a 16 year old girl. I was put up for adoption. If
anyone has any information about anyone who worked there at that time I would
greatly appreciate it. I have been searching for my birth mother for at least 25
years, with no luck. So I am trying all avenues to reach her. Please, if you
remember a 16 year old girl back then who gave birth or anyone who worked in the
Maternity ward then, please send me an email..DMoon@hvc.rr.com. A funny thing is
I became an LPN and never knew Mary McClellan Hospital was a nursing school!! I
went to Boces for my LPN degree." On
12/4/12 Marilyn Reinhold "Brought a tear to my eye to see the picture of FN Hall
again. One of the best years of my life was spent at MMc. Such fond memories of
sitting around in living room teaching each other to knit; stayed up late to see
the Space launch; discovering "peach cobbler" at the hospital cafeteria; having
to kneel to be sure our uniforms hit the floor for proper length; jumping into
my 1969 VW bug, often before curfew to go "down street" to get hotdogs; driving
to Bennington, Vt. with Kathy M. and also to Grandma Moses home with Pat M. and
going to Shirley and John Mulligan's farm. She made hotdogs with bacon wrapped
around them (another new way to eat a hotdog for me, the "city" girl :) She and
John were so happy to show us the farm. I loved being in their home. Will never
forget her big, old-fashioned wood burning stove...a great time being in a "real
home" rather than the dorm. I am a 1969 graduate who also went to the reunion. A
lovely time of renewing memories. Because Shirley May Mulligan went to college
on Staten Island, which is where I was from then, she keeps in touch with me
every Christmas with a card and newsletter. Hope to hear from her again this
year, 2012. Would also enjoy hearing from any classmates, so I hope they print
my email: Lynstar@comcast.net Will also never forget Mrs. Wilks when we lived in
Troy, NY for few months. She is the one who inspired and encouraged me to go to
Maria College (Albany NY) Thank You Mrs. Wilks for my "RN". Tried to find her to
tell her how much she influenced my life. If anyone knows of her, please email
me. I hold my time at MMc so very close to my heart and I believe God above
directed me there to receive the blessing of a fine education and a most
wonderful, happy year in my life."
Robert Pinkham writes "Here is a bit of information about
the building prior to its closing a person was killed on the upper floor of the
building the part he was killed on it is white if you have a current picture of
it he fell over the railing and was impaled on an iron rod. I was told this
story when I was about fifteen I am 29 it was told to me by a friends father who
clamed that it was his great grandfather who met his fate there. The last time I
was there there was much of the internal structure still recognizable." Jack S. writes "Around 1960 Ruderman owned the island, several of the buildings
were used as storage for his used machinery scrap business. At that time I had
some scrap metal there. Stored were several water wheel turbines. Much of the
papermill machinery was still there. Several water wheels connected to
generators and beaters." Jack S writes "This is a carthage grinder. It was used to grind pulpwood into
wood pulp in a papermill. The 'rollers' that you see in the abandoned paper mill
pictures were inside this castiron machine. Wood was loaded in the pockets as
seen on the left, the door was closed and the lever pulled to actuate the
hydraulic cylinder which forced the wood against the grind stone. Water was
sprayed against the stone to keep the wood from burning. Wood and water mixed,
came out the bottom and was called slush, this went through a series of screens
to remove slivers, then to the beaters to make the fibers finer, then onto the
paper machine. If only wood fiber was used it was a solid wood sheet; an example
of that would be the old fashioned milk bottle caps. For other sheets it was
mixed with other fibers, chemicals, dies, and waste paper." On
03/23/12 Jack S. writes "The Crown Zellerback, now Metro paper in Carthage , J.
P. Lewis paper mill and the T. B. Basselin 'Casidy mill" all had the same
grinders."
Taken on 05/11/09 The Deferiet St. Regis
Paper Mill,
being demolished. Investors decided in
December of 1901 to build the mill, with the hope of the high profit possible
due to the high cost of was newsprint at the time. Plans were drawn up in March
of '01 and construction began on June 9th of 1902. When finished it was, at the
time, the largest mill in the area and was built to be the most modern papermill
in the US. The walls were made of concrete, of which very few other buildings at
the time were constructed of. The mill's daily production capacity was thirty
tons of Manila paper and twenty-five tons of wood pulp, but it only needed to
employ about seventy-five people (being paid $100 a day). A canal was built to
divert water from the dam to the mill to counter low water levels during the
summers, a significant engineering feat at the time. After sixteen years the
company was bought out by an Ohio company and production was dropped to
twenty-five tons a day, but the company invested heavily in the mill and the
village of Deferiet. By 1922 the village was company-owned with fifteen hundred
residents living in company-owned houses, but in the 60's the company sold the
houses. Aerial
photos courtesy of Patrick Danforth Aerial
video courtesy of Patrick Danforth
Don writes: "Not sure if you've
received any information regarding this structure, but it was a pumphouse.
Before the island was cleared for Fish Island Park there were four concrete
footers that the accompanying water tower stood on. At one time there was a mill
across the street and there were five or six houses on the island."
On Auguest 25, 2025 a visitor to the site left us the following message (the person did not leave an email address, if the person is reading this please drop us a message, we would love to see the photos that you have):
"I was born on Fish Island, last day of September, 1938, the next day, our family Doctor Clarence Fowler (died 1942), spanked my bottom, signed my birth certificate, Dr Fowler's son Alex, was my history teacher; Alex did ask me, "Felix, do you want knowledge or power?}.
My maternal grandfather and grandmother lived in Dexter, their 1910 Federal Census is testimony, where Grandfather cared for the horses of the Sulphite Paper Mill, ran by the sons of Mr. Campbell who lived in New York City. My Grandparents ran a boarding house, they were immigrants from Middle Europe, married 1907 in Utica, New York, lived in Dexter, New York 1910, moved to near Deferiet, New York where my Grandfather became the village plumber for the St. Regis Mill owned houses in Deferiet.. Frank and Caty owned a house on route 3, kept a cow, raised fruits and vegetables. I visited them often, their son Edward was a tinsmith at the St. Regis Mill. Youngest son became Rev. John Julius, Vicar of St James Holy Roman Catholic Church in Carthage. Elks Club is renamed in his honor.
I have pictures of Fish Island, 1935 showing the railroad tracks behind our house; my father was an engineer at the Frontenac Mill. I carried his lunch pail to him many times; also walked the tracks and picked up loose coal that fell from the train and placed the coal in a coal bin in our cellar.
1958, I came home from Texas where I attended Radar School at Fort Bliss, received a scholarship from St. Regis Paper Mill in Deferiet, matriculated Rochester Institute of Technology 1958-1962. Was 1964 I received my honorable discharge from the US Army, having joined the Army Reserve Program 1956, doing basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey 1958. Fish Island is now a Park. That building sat under a huge water tower."
Gerald D. writes: "Was
originally a home and later it served as a Sanitarium for contagious disease.
Much later it was storage for hardware supply that operated from added wing on
right. Now defunct."
© Copyright 2004-
OABONNY. All Rights Reserved. Site first online on July
28, 2004 
