The addition of a 60 acre island
in the Sacandaga River opened up a plethora of events
that could be offered in the Park.
The wooden bridge to Sport Island
was 500 feet long and hazarding a guess about 7 feet
wide feet wide. The bridge was built so it could be removed
to prevent it from being damaged with the winter ice
going out and also to allow for the logging industry
in spring to move the logs down river. At the end of
the season in fall it was dismantled and stored under
the grandstand then reassembled when the season started
in July.
A miniature train built by the Cagney
Engine Locomotive Works in Buffalo NY was named “The
Sacandaga Limited” was purchased in 1901. The rails
were installed on one side of the bridge leaving room
for the many visitors with an option to stroll. The trains
rails were only 15 inches apart and a ride cost 10 cents.
During the summer the Miniature train would be stored
under the grandstand. In winter the train was transported
to Gloversville Station by it’s larger counterparts,
where it would be repaired and refitted for the following
summer. Powered by coal and water, this was a real steam
train with all the maintenance of full size engines.
A grandstand was built in 1901 at
the northern end of the Island had seating for 1500 people
and a regulation baseball diamond laid out in front of
it. Among the semi-pro baseball games, there boxing and
wrestling matches, balloon ascensions, Red Devil bi-plane
exhibitions, militia re-enactment, Army Company B from
Cohoes would set up an encampment to practice maneuvers
as did the National Guard.
The 4th of July was very festive
with fireworks being set off from Wolf Island that was
located east of Sport Island. A much smaller island,
and of not much use save for this event, it got it’s
name by a wolf being found stranded there after the winter
ice went out. Every one had a view of the bursting colors,
provided courtesy of the railroad, from Sport Island
to the banks of the Midway. Including the Northville
bridge and river banks along the Northville side.
The burro rides were popular and
in the summer these small, humble, animals toiled around
a track or made numerous journeys to High Rock, uphill,
with riders. During the summer, after their days work
and all of the people had left Sport Island and Midway
for the day, the burros would be released from their
stanchions and led to the Sport Island Bridge where they
trotted across it to pasture land on the Island. Although
thought to be slow, stupid, and stubborn these burros
understood “quitting time” and could be seen
running and playing when released from their labor. In
the off season, before winter snows, sometimes local
boys would haunt the island trying to ride a burro as
they grazed in the pasture and usually found themselves
flat on their backs
The toboggan rides which were north
of Sport Island bridge on the Midway side of the river
was also known as Chute the Chutes consisted of a two
story bath house with an office building between them.
The chutes were about 4 stories high (40 feet) with an
open platform on top with a choice of two chutes to ride
down. After buying a ticket at the office, a bathing
suit rental could be made. Patrons then received a key
to their bathhouse, changed, lock the door with their
things inside, and returned the key to the office to
be picked up later. Then all that was left to do was
climb those stairs and have the nerve to slide down on
the wooden toboggans into the river. Bathers then returned
the toboggan to a third shoot in the middle, which carried
the toboggan to the top through a series of belts and
chains run by a gasoline engine. After the Chutes were
closed in Fall winter fun could be had if permission
was granted, and usually was, to use these toboggans
for an ice-covered hill thrill ride by local children.
In the early morning hours of spring
1918 the Sport Island grandstand was consumed by fire
by unknown origin. It was never rebuilt. The Miniature
train having already been brought up from Gloversville
for the start of the summer season was in it’s
storage spot beneath it. It too was a total loss and
never replaced.
But a change was coming, maybe some
had foresight to see it, it might have started with the
automobile. Or maybe the railroad had some inside information
that the valley, including Sport Island, would be flooded
in the coming years.
