A Big (and hot) Day for Campobello Island and the cops are all over us.

It was August 5, 1946. Eleanor Roosevelt and her Son Elliot had arrived on Campobello to dedicate a cairn and plaque to her late husband Franklin D. Roosevelt. The ceremony took place in front of the Welshpool Library. The inscription honoured Franklin saying that Campobello was the place where he always had found rest from his duties and that it was his “beloved’ island. Over the decades the cairn was taken apart and the parts had come to a most unexpected destiny on a neighbour’s lawn, where they remained for an unknown number of years, the lawnmower going over top of it every summer. The plaque was taken into the library and stayed there. When this year the 50th anniversary of the Franklin D. Roosevelt International Bridge came up, there were questions about that long-gone cairn. Somebody remembered that the parts were in the ground behind a house and the parts were dug up from the ground. The top plate in pink granite turned out to be in good shape but the rest of the cairn needed new parts. It was decided to re-erect the cairn and re-mount the plaque, which had been cleaned too. Today, on August 04 2012 the cairn and the plaque were re-dedicated under the presence of: - Three U.S. Senators - Vice chairman Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission - Granddaughter of Elliot Roosevelt (Son of FDR), her daughter Ruth and her   grandchildren Hays and Swiler (6th generation of Roosevelts on Campobello) - MLA Curtis Malloch - Member of Parliament John Williamson   …and many other dignitaries from the U.S. and Canada. Mrs. Chandler Roosevelt Lindley holding her speech left: Ron Beckwith, Superintendent RCIP,  right: Senator Susan Collins, Maine, The celebrations were held – in accordance with history- in front of the Campobello Library in Welshpool. From the first dedication of the monument, It should still take another 16 years until the International bridge was erected. Consequently we have another great day for Campobello Island as another rededication is coming up: The bridge turns 50 year tomorrow. Those celebrations will be held at the Mulholland Lighthouse across from Lubec. *********************************************************************** And what did I do today? First of all, it got very hot. Next thing I noticed were police cruisers in an unprecedented number. What were THEY up to? SECURITY! I feel sorry for the RCMP officer who stood there for more than one hour. Well, the day started of with me meeting a group of visitors at the “Prince Cottage” in the Roosevelt Park. This weekend the park is hosting the annual meeting of the International Park Commission and they happened to have a group of participants interested to see the island among them a U.S. Ambassador from Washington DC. Needless to say, I was all a bit nervous to meet these people. But they all turned out to be the nicest lot and I forgot all about being nervous. In fact, it was a great experience.   Thanks for stopping by!