Searchlight Stands Watching, Its Tower Looms Tall. . .

Constructed as the summer home for Clevelander Martin Thorne back in 1887, the dilapidated Victorian mansion on Morrow’s Landing in the 1000 Islands, named after the family who purchased the property from Thorne in 1913, has something of a strange, if not altogether tragic past. Of course, that is partly because Ignatious Morrow turned Thorne’s stately riverside estate into a funeral home, which it remained for many years after his death, with sons Silas and Jasper Morrow running the business.

Located about halfway between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, Morrow’s Landing aimed to serve both communities, along with the summer’s island residents, many of whom took their last, twilight breaths on the waters of the St. Lawrence River. Jasper and Silas, while both married, had no sons to take over the business. By the early 1990s, Morrow’s Landing Funeral Home sat vacant, and like many other 1000 Island properties at one point or another, had seen better days.

In 1993, the property was sold as part of an estate auction, and work had quickly begun to refurbish it at a great expense, leaving many to wonder who the new owner was. As reported by The Times on February 13, 1994—

Historic Riverfront Property Poised for New Beginning

 

ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. – A historic 1887 property, long known to locals for its stately but somber presence, is set to find new life this summer. The sprawling mansion, situated on a secluded cove off Route 12 between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, is currently undergoing extensive renovations to transform it into a twelve-room bed and breakfast.

For decades, the building served the river community as a funeral home, a fact that has lent the property a peculiar local notoriety. The new owner, who has chosen to remain private for the time being, is reportedly committed to preserving the structure’s Gilded Age architectural charm while updating it for modern guests.

The project, to be named ‘Searchlight Bed and Breakfast,’ is being welcomed by local business owners, who see it as a valuable addition to the region’s tourist accommodations. “Anytime a historic property like that is saved and repurposed, it’s a win for the whole community,” noted one local observer.

With renovations proceeding at a steady pace, the new establishment is expected to open its doors to guests later this summer, offering a new vantage point from which to enjoy the timeless beauty of the Thousand Islands.

With renovations all but completed in early May 1994, Searchlight Bed and Breakfast had the fortuitous opportunity to schedule a soft opening coinciding with the annular eclipse. With Northern New York in the line of totality, the newly renovated and anointed Searchlight was poised to use the eclipse as a spotlight to showcase itself to the public.

The local newspaper covered what was expected to draw thousands of “eclipse chasers” to the North Country, while doling out the customary safety precautions of such an event—

Eyes on the Sky for Tuesday’s Annular Eclipse

 

WATERTOWN, N.Y. – Skygazers across the North Country are preparing for a rare celestial event this Tuesday, May 10, as an annular solar eclipse is set to grace the afternoon sky. The cosmic spectacle is expected to begin locally at approximately 12:15 p.m., reaching its maximum phase, where the moon will obscure a significant portion of the sun, around 1:40 p.m. before concluding shortly after 3:00 p.m.

The only variable for eager viewers remains the notoriously fickle spring weather. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a chance of scattered showers, leaving many hoping for clear breaks during the peak of the event.

Local authorities are also advising residents to be prepared for an increase in traffic, particularly along Route 12 and Interstate 81 and around the 1000 Islands. Drawing comparisons to the influx of visitors for other major seasonal events, officials anticipate a significant number of “eclipse chasers” may travel into the region for a better view, and they suggest planning any necessary travel in advance to avoid potential congestion.

Experts are issuing strong reminders about eye safety. “Never look directly at the sun, even when it is partially obscured,” warned a local science educator. “The only safe way to view the event is through certified eclipse glasses or by using a simple pinhole projector to cast the sun’s image onto a surface.”

Searchlight Bed and Breakfast had a successful launch that summer, which carried into the fall before the wheels slowly fell off. A year later, in October 1995, a tragedy struck the river community, leaving a mystery and many rumors in its wake.

The Times reported in its October 30th morning edition, with very few details available at the time—

Body Discovered at Local Bed and Breakfast; Investigation Underway

ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. – The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the discovery of a body Wednesday evening at the Searchlight Bed and Breakfast, a recently opened inn located on a secluded property off Route 12.

Authorities have released few details regarding the ongoing investigation. The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, and the cause of death has not yet been determined. It is unclear at this time if the individual was a guest at the establishment.

The bed and breakfast, a renovated 19th-century cottage that was once the Morrow’s Landing Funeral Home, has developed a peculiar reputation among some locals in recent months after its owner reportedly claimed the property was haunted.

Sheriff’s officials have secured the scene and declined to comment further on whether foul play is suspected, stating that more information will be released following an autopsy and a complete investigation.

In the years that followed, whispers and tales of madness echoed along the riverbanks while the property sat vacant for long stretches, occasionally finding a new owner—only to be relisted once again shortly thereafter. In recent years, its history has faded like the waning ghost stories told about it. Some believe it’s for the best, while others contend the truth may never be known, and likely buried alongside the lurid stories told.

In 2023, the property was believed to have been purchased with hopes of restoring and reopening it as a bed and breakfast once again, its history all but forgotten—until an eerily familiar woman arrived and stirred up its past, reigniting its sinister legacy.

Now, for the first time, its true story can be told—but beware: the truth in The Fourth House will not set you free, for the light only reveals what the dark wants you to see.