I lived on Cayuga Island from about 1945 to about 1951. I say "about" because my parents were living in Griffon Manor (near 96th St.) when I was born. Sometime after that they moved to the 8124 Riverside Dr. where I have my earliest memories.
Kids those days, even below the age of five had considerably more freedom to roam than they do today. I recall sitting along side the Little Niagara River, which we called Cayuga Creek at the time, and curiously watched as my friend, Dickie, fell into the river and drowned. I didn't understand it at the time. I only remember that his body gave a jerk and he fell in the water and didn't move or struggle. I often wonder if he had a seizure of some sort to be the cause.
From that time on my mother would be hysterical if I wandered anywhere near the water. By the time I was six we moved off the island after my baby brother was born.
