HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY/BIRTHDAY
SYLVIA LAKE ASSOCIATION

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SYLVIA LAKE ASSOCIATIONS

There has been an active Sylvia Lake Association since 1919, although the first organizations were separate entities. The first was formed in 1919, at a meeting of property owners. The Gouverneur Northern Tribune (11/19/19) reported that the association's "plans included extensive improvements both on the property at the lake and on the road leading to the grounds. With the completion of the imporvements as planed, the coming season promises to exceed that of 1919 which was one of the most popular ever known in the history of the resort."

That resort, of course, was the Sylvia Lake hotel.

The second association was organized in the 1930's... the third, in the late 1940's. The three original associations were primarily organized to facilitate access to the hotel and resort. During the 1940's, the association, in cooperation with the owner, Ed Smith, even organized social activities for residents, held at the Sylvia Lake Inn.

PRESENT DAY SYLVIA LAKE ASSOCIATION : 1968 - present

The person most responsible for organizing property owners to form our current association by calling the first meeting, was Carleton L. ("Slip") Toomey. The first association meeting was held on March 27, 1968, at the municipal building in Gouverneur. Fifty property owners attended this meeting, where they elected officers and came to tentative agreement on issues they wanted to work on: road improvement, pollution, and water control.

The names on the list of first Association Officers and Board of Directors may be familiar:

The 1980's Sylvia Lake Book notes: "One of the highlights to date has been the adoption of a Board of Health regulation in 1972 by the Town of Fowler, County of St. Lawrence, New York, largely through the influence of this Association and the Sanitation Committee headed by Don Grout and James Kraker who attended quite a few town board meetings. As a result, in 1973, most all septic tanks and systems were inspected and dye tested and inadequacies noted. They were finished in 1974, and were tested again under the chairmanship of Chuck Dievendorf in 1978, at which time much improvement was noted."

PAST PRESIDENTS WHO SERVED THE SYLVIA LAKE ASSOCIATION 1968 - 2008

Link to a complete list of Officers and Directors for the
Sylvia Lake Association, 1968-2008.
Compilled by Lea Dickson from Association records.