For sale: an island
Check it out: an island in the Mohawk River between Scotia and Schenectady is for sale. From the listing for "Glenotia Island" by Denise Polsinelli with CM Fox:
OWN AN ISLAND PARADISE WITHOUT LEAVING THE CAPITAL DISTRICT!HISTORIC GLENOTIA ISLAND IS 18.9 ACRES SITUATED WITHIN THE BEAUTIFUL MOHAWK RIVER. OWN IT FOR YOUR PERSONAL PRIVACY OR CREATE A RIVERFRONT RECREATIONAL DESTINATION.
List price: $91,900.
The Daily Gazette's Michael Goot had an article about the property today -- it was used for recreation in the first few decades of the 1900s, but there's been little activity there since a foot bridge to island was removed in the early 1930s.
The Images of America: Glenville book by the Schenectady County Historical Society has a few photos from back in the day. And here's what appears to be an old map of the area -- the island is marked as "Isle of the Mohawks", which was its name before being tagged Glenotia (Glenville + Scotia). In fact, it still bears that name on some maps. (Also, judging from satellite photos, we wonder if it's more peninsula than island now.)
Find It
Glenotia Island
The Mohawk River
Scotia, NY
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Comments
Growing up there in the '70s and having the full run of that island, we never ever heard it called "Glenotia." It was always Little Island or Isle of the Mohawks. (All of the islands there had Iroquois tribe names.) Having explored every inch of it, I honestly thought my great grandmother was insane when she told me there used to be an amusement park there, but there was, and it was in fact Glenotia Park, which offered baseball games, dancing, swimming lessons and general entertainment. A scant 45 years later, there was simply no sign there was ever a form of habitation on that island, and it was the private preserve of a gang of boys who grew up on the riverside.
There are a few pages of articles about Glenotia Park tucked into this page of local news clippings:
http://www.mynonurbanlife.com/familyhistory/localhistory/news%20clips%20webpages/
... said Carl on Aug 20, 2012 at 6:52 PM | link
Looks like I've found my new if-I-won-the-lottery idea -- buy that island and build a house on it. Looks like a nice spot to live in (and it's in the Scotia school district, which would be alright).
... said KB @ Home-Baked Happiness on Aug 20, 2012 at 7:48 PM | link
No permanent structures is the real killer for a private owner.
... said Lola on Aug 21, 2012 at 9:28 AM | link
It's not just in a flood plain, it floods all the time. It used to be, probably still is, that when the floods receded there would be stranded pools of fish left behind. Not a pretty sight, or smell.
... said Carl on Aug 21, 2012 at 9:45 AM | link
@Lola: Yurt.
... said ethan on Aug 21, 2012 at 9:50 AM | link
Hence the $92k price for nearly 20 acres...
Ever here the ditty about buying swampland?
... said [not] aoa on Aug 21, 2012 at 10:17 AM | link
@Lola: Agree. I wonder if it might be a candidate for a conservancy of some kind.
... said Greg on Aug 21, 2012 at 10:20 AM | link
Probably don't need a conservancy involved as I can't imagine any reason anyone would every buy it. It'll stay forever wild by benign neglect. :-)
... said Linda Rossi on Aug 22, 2012 at 8:13 PM | link