Jim Cawley was a journalist and author working on a story about canoeing and other water sports when he noticed reports of John Apperson’s activities at Lake George, and especially of his efforts to get the state to support his ambitious project of riprapping the island shores. In 1918, Jim decided to make a trip to the lake to take photographs of the islands and write-up a story, thinking his friends at the American Canoe Association might be interested. His planned visit was interrupted by Apperson’s illness (he came down with the Spanish Influenza), but Cawley managed to make a trip around the islands and get familiar with the scene. Once these two had a chance to get acquainted, they became enthusiastic about planning events at Lake George, including an anniversary celebration, by the erection of a plaque on Crosbyside (where the American Canoe Association had its first gatherings, back in 1880). They began thinking about organizing a regatta, too. Over the next 6-8 years Apperson and Cawley managed to promote, plan and pull off two major events at Lake George, bringing hundreds of sportsmen and their families to enjoy canoeing and camping.
In 1920, Cawley and Apperson sought permission and began making plans for erecting a memorial – moving a huge rock to Crosbyside, and then ordering a bronze plaque. That same year, Apperson and several friends from GE made a joint purchase of land in Huddle Bay, and began considering the idea of using the property as the site for an A.C.A. regatta. By June of 1921, the Edison Club of Schenectady announced its upcoming regatta in Huddle Bay, using the property of John S. Apperson (including a large pine grove, camp, boat houses, landings and a sand beach). His neighbors, G. Hall and Margaret Roosevelt plus William and Ida Dalton, decided to help, too, and offered rooms in the former Lake View Hotel and Annex.
The regatta of 1921 was a great success, and Apperson must have been delighted to meet so many enthusiastic sportsmen, especially from such a prominent organization. It seems that Cawley and Apperson both were hoping that the A.C.A. would consider moving their large annual meetings to Lake George, on a permanent basis, and Apperson even had a likely location in mind. He had already shared his idea with Jim Cawley in 1919, saying that Turtle Island is “amply large with several well protected harbors, and located near the open lake for sailing and yet protected against rough water, making canoeing always desirable.”
Turtle Island was privately owned, but Apperson was hoping it would become property of the State of New York, and thus part of the forest preserve. The state was busy setting up campsites on many of the state islands, and Jay Taylor had been hired, along with a crew, to erect camping platforms, build docks, and otherwise prepare for summer campers. It is remarkable to think of all the planning and coordinating that was necessary, but Cawley and his friend Apperson (who was not even a member of the A.C.A.) somehow managed to pull off a large regatta on Turtle Island, in the summer of 1926. In fact, in the summer of 1925, many of the club officers met at Apperson’s camp in Huddle Bay, using several days to plan all the logistics, including committees handling transportation (of duffle, paddles, and people), advertising, and coordination with state officials. Jim Cawley and Jim Dodge made several additional trips to the lake in the spring, assisting state workers with preparations on Turtle Island.
Few people at Lake George have ever heard of this remarkable sporting event, or of the successful marketing that brought so many visitors to Lake George. In the years following the regatta, Apperson kept busy with his efforts to create a Lake George Park, first by bringing Tongue Mountain under state ownership, and then turning his attention to Paradise Bay and the Knapp property on the eastern side of the lake. Jim Cawley found an opportunity to help his friend by soliciting the ACA membership, and asking them to exert their political clout to the task. Not only did Cawley find support among the A.C.A., but soon other organizations were also recruited to the cause. Although the Knapps did not sell their property to the state until 1941, the idea of protecting and preserving Paradise Bay, Tongue Mountain, Dome Island and all of the other islands in the Narrows had spread to a wide audience. Cawley and Apperson had helped launch an educational movement, especially within the ranks of sportsmen, and spread the ideas about preservation to a much larger audience.
- October 2, 1918 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: his recent visit to Phantom Island at Lake George. “Unable to get pictures you wanted (of Lake George) for article n work that has been done on the islands.”
- November 1, 1918 – Jim Cawley to JSA re” Thanks for putting me up at the Mohawk Club”
- May 29, 1919 – JSA to Jim Cawley re: plans for the American Canoe Association to create a memorial on one of the islands at Lake George; also – (big news!) Apperson is thinking about making Turtle Island into a permanent location for the American Canoe Association… He describes it as “amply large with several well protected harbors, and located near the open lake for sailing and yet protected against rough water, making canoeing always desirable”
- July 28, 1920 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: discussing plans for hiring a stonecutter and to produce a tablet and to have it in Apperson’s hands not later than the middle of August.
- July 14, 1921 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: tells about their Dodge Roadster, Mrs. Cawley, Mr. and Mrs. Russell, etc. Cawley hopes Apperson can send him photos of the meet to use in historic section…
- June 4, 1925 – Jim Cawley to Governor Al Smith
- September 22, 1925 – Jim Cawley to JSA
- October 13, 1925 – Jim Cawley to JSA (“Jay”) re: mentions his thorough inspection of camp, put on new lock on camp door, gave key to Mr. Hill, etc.
- March 4, 1926 – Jim Cawley to Gov. Al Smith
- March 31, 1926 – George Graves (Sec. to Governor) to Jim Cawley re: meeting of the Council of Parks; idea that the Council could make an offer to the Knapps…
- July 28, 1926 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: tells of injury to his eye…
- September 14, 1926 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: “I saw Hatch in Baltimore … you have been officially notified of your election. …You’ll hear from Burnham about it soon.”
- June 12, 1929 – Walvin Barr (American Canoe Association) to JSA re: needs Apperson’s advice…
- September 19, 1929 – JSA to James Cawley re: letter enclosed…
- November 6, 1929 – JSA to James Cawley re: hopes someone from the A.C.A. will make an appearance before the Land Board…
- November 13, 1929 – JSA to James Cawley re: planning to start an organization (eventually the New York Forest Preserve Association)
- November 22, 1929 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: Preamble for the organization – name Horicon? “Why not call it the Lake George Protective Association?
- November 25, 1929 – JSA to Jim Cawley re: letter to Mr. Woodbury … preamble of proposed organization…
- February 7, 1930 – JSA to Jim Cawley re: skiing trip to Canada with his niece Martha; enthusiastic about suggestion to go after support from the American Legion.
- February 11, 1930 – Raymond Torrey to Jim Cawley re: east side of Lake George; Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks; mentions William Howard, MacDonald and Lt. Gov. Lehman…
- March 29, 1930 – Jim Cawley to JSA re: suggestion about contacting the American Legion … idea to create a Quentin Roosevelt State Park…
- December 31, 1936 – Jim Cawley to Editor (Herald Tribune) re:
- May 29, 1944 – JSA to Jim Cawley re: “Princeton sounds ultra intellectual. I like best to think of you in a canoe with no books or papers to bother with.” Re: Lake George Association – ”They became interveners with the mill owner. We won a favorable decision from our appeal in the Appellate Division for a jury trial next month – of course we expect all these ups and downs.” …photography disproved some of the testimony about the islands…