Minna Anthony Common Nature Center Dedication

In June, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Friends of the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center completed a $1.75 million project to renew the nature center. Renovations include a new main entrance, a gift shop, waterside building additions, restoration of the great room riverside viewing wall, roof repairs, and energy efficiency upgrades.

The 50-year-old facility underwent a complete $750,000 structural renovation funded by the NY Parks 2020 initiative. In addition, The Friends of the Nature Center raised more than $1 million in private donations and grants to renew the exhibits and interior features.

On hand to help with the dedication were a class of second graders from Dexter Elementary, there on a field trip with a grant from the Connect Kids to Parks program. The reopening focused on young naturalists and the kids got to see new exhibits including:

• An interactive map table describing and illustrating the trails and their natural features;
• An exhibit dedicated to Minna Anthony Common, and her daughter, Catherine Johnson;
• An "On the River" exhibit to inspire a new generation of young anglers with a fishing boat that visitors can sit in, to educate visitors on the St. Lawrence River;
• A bird-themed meeting room highlighting the local bird species that provides a learning space for school groups; and
• A "Forest Area" exhibit informing visitors about forest ecosystem and featuring a replica of a canvas tent that was used in the original Thousand Islands Park settlement.

Located on 600 acres of land within the Wellesley Island State Park, the Nature Center was founded on the principles of environmental conservation and education. The Museum is year-round from 8:00am to 4:00pm (unless otherwise noted), and trails are open from sunrise to sunset.

Minna Anthony Common was the leading authority on the birds, flowers, trees, animals and grasses of Northern New York State. Learn more about her here. Her daughter, Catherine Johnson, was a 40-year member of Thousand Islands State Park Commission and was the force behind creating the Nature Center

The project was funded through Governor Cuomo's NY Parks 2020 program, a multi-year commitment to modernize state parks and historic sites, including creating or renewing 30 nature and cultural centers across the state. The 2018-19 state budget includes $90 million toward this initiative.