Sailing Postponed - Again! Pearl Island Getting a Facelift

 We're getting a total mix of weather today - a little rain, occasional sunshine, but mostly clouds and wind. Our temperature remains on the cool side, and with the wind, it feels more line late September than late August.

Because of the foul weather, the Sunfish Race was postponed again. It was postponed last Sunday because of rainy weather, and now Susan Bouchard says they are hoping for a good sailing day next Sunday - and that will end the season, with the awards ceremony at Smith's camp on North Shore Road. That final race and awards ceremony will take place, weather permitting, on September 6, 2020.

There has been a lot of activity at Pearl Island recently and people are beginning to take

notice. The change is because a new generation of the Pearl family is breathing new life into the old buildings. The island passed from William and Lucia Pearl to their children years ago, and now their grandson, Henry Pearl, has half interest with his aunt, Elizabeth "Liz" Pearl Sargent, having purchased his aunt Peggy Pearl's share of the property. Henry has a young family and lots of energy, so he and his wife, Allison, are fixing up the place. Liz

sent photos and said she is excited to have

Henry and Allison interested in preserving the island that has meant so much to their family over the years. We are excited to see the changes taking place.

The island was first built around 1899 by Rufus Simeon "Sim" Whittier, who grew up in the area, went into the Army and served with General Custer. He returned from his travels around 1894, and worked on the

railroad, among other jobs. The island was a protruding ledge, not large enough for buildings, so Sim hauled stones and dirt from the mainland in his boat, extending the size of the island and raising it several feet to allow for high water events. He built a substantial house with a shed where he kept a few chickens. It is the shed that remains on the island today. The house was moved to the west shore of the pond on the ice in the 1940s and has since been taken down. William Pearl purchased the island in 1955 and turned the shed into a cottage where he and his family spent summers every year. 

A new dam in West Danville raised the water significantly, and over time, erosion has taken a toll on the little island. Liz and her sister, Peggy Pearl had soil brought over to the island on the ice one winter to replace that lost to high water. The cottage has had little done to it over the years, although the family still came there for short periods. Now it's getting a complete face lift and we are very happy to see the progress.