Early Heron History

by FRANCIS NIMS THOMPSON

     Levi J. Gunn's dissolute son Walter L. was cruising about these waters and reported (as I recollect) an island off Christmas Cove for sale. L.J. Gunn and F.M. Thompson (an old explorer of Idaho etc; see Hoffmans "Vigilante") investigated. 

     Lewis Perrin and one Dockery were camping in a square gable-roofed building on the bare ledge (where a little summer-house now stands or recently stood). Perrin appears in grin and shirtsleeves in most photos of the period.  Rocks and stumps covered the island north of "A St." A very few spruce there; two now in front of Rosebank [Bennet Cottage].

     F. M. Thompson, his brother-in-law Newell Snow, and a neighbor E.A. Hall and Wm F. Smart, with Gunn and his business partner George E. Rogers, constituted the New England Land Company; bought (as I recall) half and then the whole of Inner Heron Island which Perrin was trying to call "Christmas Island". The inhabitants were herons "American Bitterns." After a few years these removed to Thrumbcap and Outer Heron. Someone had lived between present sites of Thompson Well and wharf. I saw logs framed together below ledge on which Schneider cottage stands. There was a spring near shore west of Cutter cottage.

     In 1886 the club house, "Modockawando Lodge" was built. We moved over from Cove in August.

     In 1887 Alpha was built and first cottage occupied.  Newell Snow and son Franklin E. built their cottage from same plans, but of plank. Jerome R. Brown of Parsons, Kansas (a business associate of F.M.T.) built the Barnacle in one day, also of plank. L.Q. Gunn built his house views all ways but south at that date. Jeff Coburn built these four original cottages.

THE COTTAGES

Alpha cottage built 1887 and has belonged to F. M. T. &F.N.T.

Newill Snow 1887 left Franklin E. (grandfather of Franklin Snow Browning) and Ella F. Blake (grandmother of Mary Nims Thompson children of his first wife Jane Thompson also Walter N. Snow and Cora (Snow) Wells, children by a second wife.

L.J. Gunn left son, grandaughter and second wife who had "sisters" and built a cabin where hotel stood.

J.R. Brown sold to E.A. Hall who sold to Edgar H. Fox who when Gunn built a cottage in front of the Barnacle sold to Roberts who sold to Clara Burt (her pupil).

The Club House became a hotel and was run by Walter Gunn and Perley (bar-keeper at American House, Greenfield), by Albion and Hannah (Russell) Gamage, by Race (son of Capt. of S.S. Enterprise of E. Boothbay), by the Butlers, also Bucknam.  After separation from her husband Mrs. Butler built the Stevenson cottage. Also Edwin Rogers, uncle of Geo. E., ran the hotel, "The Annex" built east of hotel, 20 rooms on two floors and some in attic. Hotel and annex burned at end of season 1917.

George E. Roger (sic) built cottage north of Snow's and sold to Capt. Geo. Warner of Lynn. His widow Isanella sold to E.R. Fellows of Springfield, Vermont.

F.N. Thompson bought 16x20 store from Gamage and land from Heron island Co. Built (1905)? "Rosebank".  Sold later to Bennett. He also drew plans for "The Bungalow" which stood for fifty years and burned 1939. Built for his cousins M.E. and C.F. Roberts. After their deaths (1909 & 1939) he sold cottage to Misses French and Caswell. The B. was widely copied.  One duplicate (except materiel) was occupied by Rev. Gains, Glen Atkins, owned by G. Harry Kauback, sold to Lucius Nims (bro. of Mrs. F.N.T.) and later to the Binghams.

"West Point" land sold by F.N.T. to E.H. Fox who built cottage, sold it to Kidder and later bought by Elbys ("Pop" first visited Heron as a guest of the Fox's who were parishoners of his.

So much for the Northern cottages.

I believe Casino and 6 cottages were built in one season 1890. I would say Rogers, Bungalow, Andrews, Cutler, Keith and Knight cottages.

Andrews bought cottages of Nahum S. Cutler (green west of park near center well) and Charles Keith both of Greenfield.  Jerry Brand bought after A's died and sold Keith to R. Humphries, later sold to Alison Damon.

Jonas M. Knight sold to Schneiders, Gunn & Franklin A. Pond (also of Greenfield) built cottages on ridge now owned by Humphries and Hale.

Gunn built the "Perl" for his wife's niece, later sold it to his nephew Herbert O. Edgerton to surprise Edgerton's wife, whose surprise surpassed her pleasure and I bought it, sold it to the Howlands.

The McClaves of New Jersey (Mrs. Fox & Mrs. MC were sisters) had five sons and five daughters. Left one season and never returned. Now Ed. Schneiders.

The Van Ness cottage occupied awhile by them. Rented to L. Nims, with privilege of buying but sold by Gunn to Marian Allen. Then to Prof. Raymond Dodge, now Ed. Damons.

Harper cottage sold to Karl Van Dyke.

Horne Perley L. and his wife's father Lea Sanderson of  Sunderland, Mass. Bought by F.M.T. and sold to Walter H. Eddy, who sold to Ernest Dodge.

[Ed. Note: The original manuscript has a picture here but our copy is too poor to reproduce.]

This is the Snow cottage built on Heron Island in the summer of 1887 by Jeff Colburn for Newill and Franklin Snow. The cottage was sold to Franklin Browning by the family in 1929. It was given to the Paul Browning family. Due to illness Paul and Betty gave it to their daughters in 1977.

[Ed. Notes: Our copy of the typed manuscript ends as shown above.  Following the typed part, this is hand-printed: "Nancy Browning Peterson (Mrs. John D.), Barbara Browning Harris (Mrs. W.W.), and Kay Browning Roscoe (Mrs. Barrey)".  Actually there were five daughters, not three.  The manuscript author, F.N.T., died before Nancy Browning became Nancy Browning Peterson. Typos above are as in our copy of the manuscript.]