Zavikon Island

Zavikon Island(s) showing "international bridge" with Canadian, Hungarian and American flags
Antique image that suggests an international border crossing.

Zavikon Island refers to either the larger or the pair of islands in the Thousand Islands archipelago on the St. Lawrence River between New York and Ontario, two kilometres (1¼ miles) southeast of Rockport, Ontario and approximately 200 metres (660 ft) north of the international boundary. Zavikon Island is located in Canadian territory and is part of the township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.[1]

Overview

In April 1975, Donald Rickerd bought the two islands.[2] A bridge connects the larger island to the smaller island. A Canadian flag hangs on the bridge near the larger island, and an American flag adorns the other side. A Hungarian flag hangs on the middle of the bridge in honour of the Hungarian heritage of his wife, Julie Rékai Rickerd.[3][4] In February 1988, Zavikon Island was established as the official name of the larger island, replacing its previous official name Aspasia Island.[1][5]

The smaller and more southeasterly of the pair of islands is sometimes called Little Zavikon Island. It has a US-Canada Boundary Commission reference monument, from which surveying measurements are used to calculate the international border line turning point at this section of the river. In this case, the international border's turning point is approximately 140 metres (460 ft) southeast of the southern tip of Little Zavikon Island as shown on the largest scale USGS map of the area.

Detail of topographic maps showing Zavikon Island and surrounding area in 1975. (Natural Resources Canada, National Topographic System, Scale 1:25,000, maps 031b05d and 031b05e, 1977.)

A popular misconception is that the larger island is in Canada while Little Zavikon Island is in the United States, and that the footbridge between them is the shortest international bridge in the world.[6][7][8][9] As demonstrated by Canada's official topographic map of the area (see image), both Zavikon islands are wholly within Canada.[1]

The Zavikon estate

Map of geographic Township of Escott, with flanking geographic townships of Lansdowne and Yonge, 2026. (Ontario, Ministry of Natural Resources, Office of the Surveyor General. Ontario GeoHub.)

The Zavikon estate was established at the beginning of the 1900s as a privately-owned country retreat located entirely within Canada among the islands attached to the geographic Township [A] of Escott,[B] Ontario (see image). Since its formation, the estate has comprised three officially recognized islands:

  • Aspasia Island (officially known since February 1988 as Zavikon Island [1][5]) at 1.4 acres;
  • Island 103A, southeast of Aspasia, at 0.3 acres; and the
  • Very small, low-lying Island 103B, off Aspasia's northeastern tip, at 0.05 acres.[16][17]

Island 103B is visible in some aerial photographs and was used as the base for the outer section of a large deck extending from Aspasia Island.[16][18] Island 103A and Island 103B are the designations used on the official land plan in lieu of lot numbers or official names, such as Aspasia Island.[2][19]

Following a June 1918 change in the ownership of the estate, a second title, Zavikon Island, was used for the aggregate property by its new owners.[20][21] A short silent film, Zavikon, illustrating the estate circa 1929, is posted online.[22]

History of the estate

The three islands of the Zavikon estate had once been part of the lands of the indigenous Mississaugas [C] of Alnwick. In 1856, this group of Mississauga Ojibweg surrendered their islands in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River to the Crown. The agreement required that the funds from the sale of the surrendered islands be invested and the interest paid annually to the Alnwick Mississaugas, who are now known as the Alderville First Nation.[23]

Aspasia Island and vicinity from Official Land Plan of 1874, prepared at the direction of Canada's Secretary of State for the Provinces. (Ontario Land Registry, Leeds LRO 28, Plan PL120.)

An official survey of the Canadian Thousand Islands between Gananoque and Brockville was done in 1873 at the direction of Canada's Secretary of State for the Provinces (who was also Superintendent General of Indian Affairs [24][25]) and published in March 1874 (see image). A copy was deposited as Plan 120 in Ontario's Land Registry Office for Leeds County (Leeds LRO 28) in December 1882. Additions were made to the official plan in April 1893 as per a new survey. These additions included the previously absent Island 103B and a label for previously unnumbered Island 103A.[2][19][26]

Details of chart for Canada-US boundary in the vicinity of Aspasia Island (Zavikon estate), approved 1913, issued 1915, and produced under a treaty of 1908. (International Boundary Commission – Commission de la frontière internationale, Map C-5 online.)

Following the 1893 survey, the Canada-US boundary through the St. Lawrence River was more precisely demarcated under a UK-US treaty of 1908. The new charts for the boundary (see image) were approved in August 1913, engraved on copper printing plates during 1913–1914,[D] and issued in May 1915 by the binational International Waterways Commission, which had conducted the new surveys.[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]

Ownership of each of the three islands that would become the Zavikon estate was transferred individually by the Department of Indian Affairs via Crown Land Patents in 1894, 1897, and 1901, respectively. In accordance with the 1856 surrender, the patents stated that the islands were sold "in order that the proceeds may be applied to the benefit, support and advantage" of the Mississaugas of Alnwick. The documents cited the official survey plans of 1874 and 1893 as held in the Department rather than the Plan 120 held in the local Land Registry Office.[35][36][37]

The first private owners of the respective islands [2] were as follows:

Emilie D. Robb (née Taylor, also known as "Mrs. Alexander Robb") purchased Aspasia Island and Island 103A from Powell and Hurdman on October 16 and 12, 1901, respectively.[2][41] Her country house was completed in August 1902 and the estate was given the name of Zavikon.[17][41][42][43]

Zavikon was frequently misspelled in early newspaper reports, e.g., Zavicon, Zabikon, Zaoikon.[43][44][45] The entries for Emilie and Alexander Robb in the annual Brooklyn Blue Book and Long Island Society Register of 1910–1922 spelled the title as Zavikön, with two dots (umlaut) above the "o".[46] This spelling was also used in the Robbs' entries in the 1910–1915 annual summer issues of Social Register: "Robb Mr & Mrs Alex (Emily D Taylor). 'Zavikön' Alexandria Bay NY" [bold emphasis added].[47]

The application of the name Zavikon to the entire three-island estate is demonstrated by the June 1918 deed that transferred its ownership from Emilie D. Robb to Andrew McLean of the City of Passaic, New Jersey. This deed described the property as follows:

  • "... Three certain parcels or tracts of land and premises situate, lying and being in the St. Lawrence River, lying opposite Lot Number Nine (9) in the broken front of the Township of Escott in the County of Leeds and Province of Ontario, the whole of such parcels being commonly known as 'Zavikon' and being respectively described as follows:
  • Firstly: 'Aspasia Island', containing by admeasurement one acre, and two-fifths of an acre, be the same more or less, as shown on a Plan of Record in the Department of Indian Affairs prepared by Charles Unwin, Provincial Land Surveyor, dated at Toronto March 2nd, 1874;
  • Secondly: 'Island No. 103-A', containing Three-tenths of one acre, be the same more or less, as shown on a Plan of Record in the Department of Indian Affairs prepared by Walter Beatty, Provincial Land Surveyor, dated at Ottawa 20th April, 1893;
  • Thirdly: 'Island No. 103-B', containing one-twentieth of one acre, be the same more or less, as shown on a Plan of Record in the Department of Indian Affairs prepared by Walter Beatty, Provincial Land Surveyor, dated at Ottawa 20th April, 1893." [17] [italic and bold emphases added]

At some point following this transaction, the new owner adopted the title of Zavikon Island for the estate. In June 1931, when the executors of the will of Andrew McLean sold the estate to Philip A. Castner of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the above text was repeated nearly verbatim in the applicable deeds with the substitution of Zavikon Island for Zavikon.[2][20][21]

In subsequent transfers of ownership,[2] the text quoted above – with the title Zavikon Island for the three-island estate – was repeated in the respective deeds:

In Woolrich Woolen Mills' 1974 and 1975 filings with the Ontario authorities, the company gave its address in Ontario as "Aspasia Islands 103-A and 103-B, Municipality of Front of Ascot [sic]".[54] On February 12, 1988, Aspasia Island was officially renamed Zavikon Island.[1][5] As of March 23, 2026, no transactions for the estate have been registered at the Land Registry Office since May 1975.[2][64]

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ In Ontario, townships can be geographic (unincorporated land subdivision based on original surveys) or municipal (incorporated unit of governance), whose respective borders may or may not be coterminous with those of the other.[10] For example, the current municipal Township of Athens was created January 1, 2001,[11][12] by the amalgamation of the Village of Athens (incorporated January 1, 1889, via county by-law) [13][14] and the municipal Township of Rear of Yonge and Escott (established January 1, 1854, via provincial statute). The latter municipality comprised the northern sections of the geographic Township of Escott and the geographic Township of Yonge.[15]
  2. ↑ Since January 1, 2001, the southern part of the geographic Township of Escott, previously known municipally as the Township of Front of Escott, has been part of the municipal Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands.[11]
  3. ↑ Mississaugas was also spelled in period documents as Mississagas and Mississaguas.
  4. ↑ The copper plates were not completed until November 1914 due to a shortage of engravers.(Ref.[27], re: copper, pp. 28, 114, 115, online images 34, 120, 121; re: Nov 1914, pp. 29 & 120, online images 35 & 126.)
  5. ↑ As a company not incorporated under the laws of Ontario, Woolrich Woolen Mills was required to obtain an Ontario Licence in Mortmain to legally purchase, own, and in any way transfer any interest in the three Zavikon islands. However, this was done after the fact and the licence was not issued until February 1960.[2][51][52][53][54]
  6. ↑ Donald S. Rickerd was a lawyer and President of the philanthropic Donner Canadian Foundation.[55][56][57]
  7. ↑ A Deed of Land to Uses transferred all rights to the use of the land in any way and released all of the grantor's claims to the land. This instrument blocked a wife from exercising her dower rights to the property, i.e., a wife's legal claim to a share in the property of her husband. In Ontario, dowers were replaced in 1978 by equal rights of possession.[59][60][61][62][63]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Natural Resources Canada, Place Names - Zavikon Island. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ontario Land Registry Access, Leeds LRO 28, Abstract/Parcel Register Book # 4, Escott Township River Islands, Aspasia Island, Island 103A, and Island 103B, pp. 1, 173, 175 (online images 5, 214, 216), respectively. Official certified copy of Oct 1982. Replaced by electronic system Mar 2009. Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  3. ↑ "Check out the story of one of the world's shortest bridge that was owned by Hungarians - Daily News Hungary". dailynewshungary.com. 2020-04-21. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  4. ↑ University of Toronto Archives, Finding-aid for Julie Rékai Rickerd Papers. Reference Code: CA OTUTF MS COLL 00767. Retrieved 2026–03–23.
  5. 1 2 3 Natural Resources Canada, Place Names - Aspasia Island. Retrieved 2026–03–15.
  6. ↑ Clarke, Jay (July 17, 1983). "Retreat to the river on the St. Lawrence islands". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. I09. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  7. ↑ Chan, Elise D. (2004). Jefferson County. Arcadia Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-7385-3547-0.
  8. ↑ Shortest International Bridge, Twelve Mile Circle, retrieved 2011-10-15
  9. ↑ "ONTERM GeoNames Index: Zachary Islands — Zigzag Island". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  10. ↑ Ontario, Ministry of Natural Resources, Frequently Aaked Questions: Geographic Township and Lot Fabric Improved Data Layers, 2015, p. 2. Retrieved 2026–03–26.
  11. 1 2 Ontario, "Government Notices Respecting Corporations: Municipal Act", Ontario Gazette, Feb 26, 2000, Vol. 133, No. 9. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  12. ↑ Ontario, "Government Notices Respecting Corporations : Municipal Act", Ontario Gazette, Jan 20, 2001, Vol. 134, No. 3. Retrieved 2026–03–28.
  13. ↑ "Farmersville No More", Farmersville Reporter & County of Leeds Advertiser, Dec 4, 1888, p. 4. Permanent Link. Retrieved 2026–03–26.
  14. ↑ "A Happy New Year to All", Farmersville Reporter & County of Leeds Advertiser, Jan 1, 1889, p. 1. Permanent Link. Retrieved 2026–03–26.
  15. ↑ Province of Canada, Statutes, 1852–53, 16 Vic., Chap. 226, pp. 1058–1059, assented Jun 14, 1883. Permanent Link. Retrieved Mar 26, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Stephen King, Zavikon Island: Home to the World's .... hasanjasim.online. Retrieved 2026–03–12.
  17. 1 2 3 Deed of Land, Situate – Emilie Delphine Robb (of New York City) to Andrew McLean (of City of Passaic, New Jersey), Jun 27, 1918, registered Jul 2, 1918. Ontario Registry Office, Leeds LRO 28, Escott Township River Islands, Document 8–3507 (online as 8ES3507, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  18. ↑ Google Earth. Zavikon Island. Retrieved 2026–03–24
  19. 1 2 Notations on Plan 120. Leeds Land Registry Office. Available through Ontario Land Registry Access, Leeds LRO 28 for a fee as document PL120.
  20. 1 2 Deed of Land (Executors) – Sarah Belle McLean (of City of Passaic, New Jersey), et al, to Andrew McLean (of City of Passaic, New Jersey), et al, Jun 4, 1931, registered Aug 7, 1931. Leeds LRO 28, Document 8–4304 (online as 8ES4304, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  21. 1 2 Deed of Land, Situate – Andrew McLean (of City of Passaic, New Jersey), et al, to Philip A. Castner (of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Jun 4, 1931, registered Aug 22, 1931. Leeds LRO 28, Document 9–4309 (online as 9ES4309, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  22. ↑ Life on Zavikon. Posted to YouTube by randers98. Retrieved 2026–03–15.
  23. ↑ Canada, Dept. of Indian Affairs. Indian Treaties and Surrenders from 1680 to 1890. Surrenders "Nos. 77 and 78", Vol I, pp. 205–208. Retrieved 2026–03–12.
  24. ↑ Canada, Privy Council, Order-in-Council PC928, Dec 8, 1869. (online as 1869–0829.) Library and Archives Canada, Privy Council Office fond, RG 2. Retrieved 2016–03–17.
  25. ↑ Notice regarding appointment of new Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Canada Gazette, Dec 11, 1869, Vol. 3, No. 24, p. 403. Retrieved 2026–03–17.
  26. ↑ Alnwick Reserve – Charles Unwin submitting his Accounts for Surveys of Islands in the St. Lawrence River, 1873–1874. Library and Archives Canada, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds, RG10, Vol. 1908, Microfilm C-11109, File 2328. Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  27. 1 2 International Waterways Commission. Sectional Reports. Report of the International Waterways Commission upon the International Boundary ... through the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes, 1915. Retrieved 2026–04–01.
  28. ↑ International Boundary Commission – Commission de la frontière internationale, "About Us", "History". Retrieved 2026–04–01.
  29. ↑ United States of America, Treaty Series, No. 497, Treaty between the United States and Great Britain: Canadian International Boundary – Article IV. Signed Apr 11, 1908. In effect Jul 1, 1908. Retrieved 2026–04–01.
  30. ↑ Canada, Sessional Papers, 3 Geo. V, 1913, Paper No. 19a, "Compiled Reports of the International Waterways Commission", Volume II", 1908–1913.
  31. ↑ "Commission Signs 180 Maps Showing New Boundary Line", Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), Apr 30, 1915, p. 6.
  32. ↑ "Charts Sent On ... Maps Showing Boundary Line between U.S. and Canada are All Signed and Sent Away", Buffalo Commercial (online as Buffalo Post), May 4, 1915, p. 13. Retrieved 2026–04–03.
  33. ↑ "Boundary Line Map Finished by Board: Copy on File at Buffalo Historical Building", Buffalo News, May 15, 1915, p. 1. Retrieved 2026–04–03.
  34. ↑ "Happy Augury for Future Relations ... Receives Water Charts", London Advertiser, Jun 9, 1915, p. 3. (Permanent Link.) Retrieved 2026–04–02.
  35. 1 2 Land Patent 11054 for Aspasia Island citing Indian Department Survey Plan of March 1874, Nov 21, 1894. LAC, R216, RG10-D-11-a, Vol. 10933, "Land Patents - Book 11". Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  36. 1 2 Land Patent 11854 for Island 103A citing Indian Department Survey Plan of April 1893, Dec 27, 1897. LAC, R216, RG10-D-11-a, Vol. 10940, "Land Patents - Book 18". Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  37. 1 2 Land Patent 12985 for Island 103B citing Indian Department Survey Plan of April 1893, Nov 2, 1901. LAC, R216, RG10-D-11-a, Vol. 10940, "Land Patents - Book 18". Retrieve 2016-03-13.
  38. ↑ Alnwick Agency – Sale of Aspasia Island, Jul 1894. LAC, RG10, Vol. 2717, Microfilm C-11269, File 144001–44. Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  39. ↑ Alnwick Agency – Sales of Islands in the St. Lawrence River to William George Hurdman, 1894–1897. LAC, RG10, Vol. 2721, Microfilm C-11270, File 144001-99. Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  40. ↑ Alnwick Agency – Sale of Island 103B, Oct 1901. LAC, RG10, Vol. 3041, Microfilm C-11315, File 236725–82. Retrieved 2026–03–13.
  41. 1 2 Social Register, Summer 1907. The Social Register Association: Bowling Green, New York City. Vol. 21, No. 66, Jun 1907, p. 206 (online image 216). Retrieved 2026–03–14. ("Robb Mr & Mrs Alex (Emilie D Taylor) 'Zavikon' Alexandria Bay NY")
  42. ↑ "Arrivals in Town", Brooklyn Life, Nov 18, 1905, p. 19. Retrieved 2026–03–13. ("Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Robb, of 346 Washington avenue, from 'Zavikon,' Thousand Islands Bay, New York.")
  43. 1 2 "The Thousand Islands ... Notes", Brooklyn Eagle (News Editorial section), Aug 31, 1902, p. 8 (online p. 16). Retrieved 2026–03–13. ("Alexander Robb of Brooklyn took possession of his new island home, Zavicon [sic], the latter part of this week, and with his family will remain very late in the autumn.")
  44. ↑ "Society" Brooklyn Life, Oct 24, 1903, pp. 8–9 (online p. 12–13). Retrieved 2026–03–13. ("... Mrs. Alexander Robb, of Washington avenue, from Zabikon [sic], Alexandria Bay, New York ...")
  45. ↑ "How Brooklynites Name their Country Houses", Brooklyn Eagle (News Editorial section), May 15, 1904, p. 2 (online p. 14). Retrieved 2026–03–13. ("Zaoikon [sic], Alexander Robb at Alexandria Bay")
  46. ↑ Brooklyn Blue Book and Long Island Society Register. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Life Publishing Co. 1910, p. 195 (online image 259); and 1919, p. 278 (online image 358). (Additional issues can be found at the HathiTrust Digital Library: Brooklyn Blue Book.)
  47. ↑ Social Register, Summer 1913. New York City: The Social Register Association. p. 253 (online image 363). Retrieved 2026–03–16. (Additional issues can be found at the HathiTrust Digital Library: Social Register, Summer from Princeton University, and Social Register, Summer from various sources.)
  48. ↑ Deed of Land Situate – Gloria M. Castner (of Township of Lower Merion, Pennsylvania), et al, to Leon Edson Lewis (of City of Rochester, New York), May 2, 1945, registered May 28, 1945. Leeds LRO 28, Document 10–4985 (online as 10E4985, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  49. ↑ Deed of Land, Situate – Leon Edson Lewis (of City of Rochester, New York), to Robert F. Rich and Julia T. Rich (of Town of Woolrich, Pennsylvania), Sep 1, 1950, registered Sep 29, 1950. Leeds LRO 28, Document 10–5482 (online as 10E5482, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  50. ↑ Deed of Land, Situate – Robert F. Rich and Julia T. Rich (of Town of Woolrich, Pennsylvania), to Woolrich Woolen Mills, Jan 2, 1951, registered Sep 29, 1951. Leeds LRO 28, Document 10–5581 (online as 10E5581, via Ontario Land Registry Access)
  51. ↑ Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1950, Chapter 241. Retrieved 2026–03–27.
  52. ↑ Ontario, Licence in Mortmain to Woolrich Woolen Mills, Feb 17, 1960, registered Oct 12, 1960. Leeds LRO 28, Document Escott 6404 (online as ES6404, via Ontario Land Registry Access)
  53. ↑ "Regulations made under the Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act", O. Reg. 65/54, Ontario Gazette, May 15, 1954, p. 965. Retrieved 2026–03–27.
  54. 1 2 Ontario Corporation No. 104909, Woolrich Woolen Mills — "Licence in Mortmain" for "Zavikon Island" comprising Aspasia Island, Island 103A, and Island 103B, Feb 17, 1960 – "Abstract of Title" for each island, Mar 18, 1959 – Annual filing ("Return") with Ontario Government, 1960–1975. (Available through the Ontario Business Registry in the corporation's "Archive Document Package", https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-registry)
  55. ↑ Might's Metropolitan Toronto City Directory, 1975, "Rickerd Donald S", p. 1123; and "Donner ... Cdn Foundation", p. 361. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  56. ↑ Michael Hanlon, "New weave of old ties makes up Mountie probe", The Gazette (Montréal), Dec 5, 1977, p. 6. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  57. ↑ Donner Canadian Foundation. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  58. ↑ Deed of Land to Uses, Situate – Woolrich Woolen Mills, to Donald Sheridan Rickerd (of City of Toronto, Ontario), Apr 4, 1975, registered May 9, 1975. Leeds LRO 28, Document 71239 (online as LR71239, via Ontario Land Registry Access).
  59. ↑ Brian Madrigan, Estate to Uses. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  60. ↑ A.D. Armour, "Grants to Uses to Defeat Dower", 1925 CanLIIDocs 13. Canadian Bar Review, Dec 1925, Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 593–606. Retrieved 2026–03–20.
  61. ↑ Shirley Denison, "Dower under Conveyances to Uses", 1926 CanLIIDocs 93. Canadian Bar Review, Feb 1926, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 97–100. Retrieved 2026–03–22.
  62. ↑ Olivia Ward, "Marriage break-up law gives wives half the home", The Toronto Star, Mar 17, 1978, p. A1; "Divorced to share family Assets", p. A6. Retrieved 2026–04–19.
  63. ↑ Judy LaMarsh, "Equality in marriage at last becomes law", The Toronto Star, Apr 9, 1978, p. A13. Retrieved 2026–04–19.
  64. ↑ Ontario Land Registry Access, Leeds LRO 28, Parcel Register (abbreviated) for PIN 44217-0317. Printed 2026–03–24 at 12:59:24 p.m.
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