View source for Deer Island (Thousand Islands)

{{Short description|River island in New York State}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Deer Island
| native_name      =
| sobriquet        =
| image_name       = Deerisland.jpg
| image_size       = 220
| image_caption    = Deer Island as photographed from aboard a [[Leeds and the Thousand Islands|Rockport]] Boat Line touring vessel.
| image_alt        =
| map              = New York
| map_width        =
| map_caption      = Location of Deer Island within New York State.
| location         = [[Saint Lawrence River]] at [[Alexandria, New York|Alexandria]], [[Jefferson County, New York]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|44|21|44|N|75|54|25|W|region:US-NY_type:isle_source:dewiki_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago      = [[Thousand Islands]]
| total_islands    = 1,864
| major_islands    = [[Dark Island]], [[Longue Vue Island]], [[Wellesley Island]], [[Zavikon Island]]
| area_sqmi        = 0.078124686605
| area_footnotes   =
| rank             =
| length_mi        = <!-- or length ft -->
| length_footnotes =
| width_mi         = <!-- or width ft -->
| width_footnotes  =
| coastline_mi     = <!-- or coastline ft -->
| coastline_footnotes =
| elevation_ft     = 265
| elevation_footnotes =
| highest_mount    = "Foot of the Island"
| Country_heading  =
| country          = United States
| website          =
| additional_info  =
}}
'''Deer Island''' is one of the American [[Thousand Islands]]. It lies between mainland Canada and United States, within the [[Saint Lawrence River]], in the Town of [[Alexandria, New York|Alexandria]], close to [[Alexandria Bay, New York]]. It is owned entirely by the [[Russell Trust Association]] and is used as a [[Skull and Bones]] retreat.
The island lies near [[Boldt Castle]] and can be seen up close from several Canadian and U.S. tour vessels that operate in the local waterways.  The land on the island is densely overgrown, with a small lodge on the southern corner of the island.
{{Quote|Skull and Bones doesn't own an opulent island hideaway like the one depicted in ''[[The Skulls (film)|The Skulls]]''. It does own an island on the St. Lawrence River&nbsp;— Deer Island, in Alexandria Bay. The forty-acre retreat is intended to give Bonesmen an opportunity to "get together and rekindle old friendships". A century ago the island sported tennis courts and its softball fields were surrounded by rhubarb plants and gooseberry bushes. [[Catboat]]s waited on the lake. Stewards catered elegant meals. But although each new Skull and Bones member still visits Deer Island, the place leaves something to be desired. "Now it is just a bunch of burned-out stone buildings," a patriarch sighs. "It's basically ruins." Another Bonesman says that to call the island "rustic" would be to glorify it. "It's a dump, but it's beautiful."
The fading of Deer Island exemplifies the dwindling finances of Skull and Bones, which can no longer claim the largest society endowment at Yale. Unlike members of other societies, Bonesmen pay no dues, though patriarchs receive an annual letter requesting a "voluntary contribution to the Russell Trust Association." In truth, Skull and Bones has never been wealthy.<ref name=TA>{{cite journal|journal=[[The Atlantic]]|authorlink=Alexandra Robbins|author=Robbins, Alexandra|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2000/05/george-w-knight-of-eulogia/304686/|title=George W., Knight of Eulogia|issue=May 2000}}</ref>|&nbsp;[[Alexandra Robbins]]|''[https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200005/bush-skull-bones/2 The Atlantic]''}}
== Flora and fauna ==
The island is covered in indigenous trees, made up of mostly [[Eastern White Pine|white pine]], [[Quercus velutina|black oak]], [[Tsuga|hemlock]], and [[Acer saccharum|sugar maple]]&nbsp;— typical of the [[Canadian Shield]]&nbsp;— as is much of the surrounding area.  There are several abandoned ruins located throughout the {{convert|50|acre|ha|adj=on}} island, now overgrown and barely visible beneath the growth.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.newruins.com/Discovery_di/index_history.html Deer Island: A Brief History]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Islands of Jefferson County, New York]]
[[Category:Islands of the Thousand Islands in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Skull and Bones Society]]
{{JeffersonCountyNY-geo-stub}}