Sit right back and hear the tale of Fox Island
The Fox Island Historical Society is taking to the water to help raise funds to restore an important artifact to the island’s heritage.
A two-hour tour — which is already completely booked — will focus on the island’s historical hot spots from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 26).
The tour will take place aboard one of the two remaining operating Mosquito Fleet board, the 1917 Carlisle II. Funds from the tour will benefit the repairs to a 1908 cabin once lived in by famous resident Lila Acheson Wallace, founder of Reader’s Digest.
The Wallace cabin made the state historic register two months ago, according to Karen Kretschmer, fundraising chair for the restoration project.
Now, the historical society is in fundraising mode before venturing out for grants. The sold-out boat tour is the biggest fundraiser so far, Kretschmer said. With funds raised in the community, Kretschmer hopes to show grantors support for the project.
Author Don Edgers, whose three books all focus on Fox Island and its history, will lead the tour. Born and raised on the island, he knows a thing or two about its past.
“I have circled this island many times as a youngster and an adult; I am familiar with all the places,” Edgers said.
Those aboard will have a map for the tour, which sets sail from the Fox Island Yacht Club. Edgers has done a few boat tours of the island before.
Edgers grew up on the island in the 1940s, a subject that he draws on in his two books “An Island in Time I: Growing up in the 1940s,” and “An Island in Time II: Growing up in the 1950s.” He also authored an Images of America series book on Fox Island.
His father came to this island and settled in 1906. Edgers watched the island be built, including the Tanglewood camp and the Fox Island bridge.
“I’m steeped in Fox Island,” he said.
All his books are available at the Fox Island Museum and Historical Society.
Edgers will be joined by David McHugh, who partnered with George Miller to bring the museum to the island. He is now president emeritus of the historical society and has retired from the museum.
The trip will benefit the Lila Acheson Wallace cabin on Fox Island. Wallace, who lived on Fox Island in the early 1900s. Wallace and her husband DeWitt would go on to found media empire Reader’s Digest. The cabin was donated to the historical society in 1977 and is in need of restoration.
This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Sit right back and hear the tale of Fox Island."