John and Peggy Thomson
at a picnic on Sycamore Island

In 1985, the venerable John Thomson (then editor of the Sycamore Islander) put out a call for articles for the issue that would mark the 100th anniversary of the club. Members responded heartily with poignant reminiscences and some superb writing. Though many members may feel great affection for Sycamore Island today, a peek at some of articles in this collection show clearly that love and loyalty for Sycamore Island has been an enduring element of the membership from the beginning. And in these articles we also learn that we should be grateful to some of our former members, and their often considerable efforts, that we can still enjoy the beauty and adventure of Sycamore Island today. (All articles were written in 1985 unless otherwise noted.)

• Sycamore History in Brief -- by John Thomson
• Beneath the Surface -- by Betty Burchell
• How Sycamore Works -- by W. B. Coolidge
• Memories of Early Days -- by Norment Custis
• Building the "New" Ferry -- by Alex Loeb
• Getting to Sycamore -- The Trolly -- by Bill Banta
• Our Bridges In Brief -- by John Thomson
• I Remember Frank Davis -- by Robert Andrews
• A Sycamore Retrospective -- by Virginia Shaver
• Our Canals: The Patowmack Canal and The C&0 Canal -- by John Thomson
• A Resume of Some Items Relative to My Membership at Sycamore -- by John Loehler
• Hurricane Agnes -- The Davis Rescue of 1972 -- by John Thomson, 1972
• The Year of the Johnstown Flood -- by Rodger Gessford, 1921
• The Role of the House Committee at Sycamore -- by Jessie Bakeman
• The Fifth Annual Bob Andrews Living Memorial All Sycamore Island Downriver Canoe and Potomac River Appreciation Float -- by Christine Berg, 1984
• My River ... My Island (A Fisherman's View) -- by George Malusky
• Memories of the Week Before Mother's Day (Potomac River White Water Race) -- by George Loeb
• Nature Recreation -- by Philip J. Stone
• The Powerful Potomac -- by Bill Kugler
• The Inter-Club Canoe Association and the Canal -- Sycamore Islander, 1922
• Paddling on the Potomac -- by Alfred B. Dent, 1922
• Paddling on the Potomac: A Contemporary Commentary -- by John Thomson
• Sycamore Island Memories -- by Don Conner
• Sycamore Memories, II -- by Claire Collins Conner
• Memoirs of a Saturday Caretaker -- by Christopher Thomson
• Up the River to Great Falls -- by Paul H. Cathcart, 1923
• Sycamore Island and River Safety -- by John Thomson
• Island Activities -- by John Thomson
• The River -- by Hillary Thomson, 1969
• Skating at Sycamore -- by David Thomson
• Natural History of the Potomac Valley -- by Philip J. Stone
• Sycamore's Wildflower Walk -- by Joan Heidemann
• Sycamore's Animals -- by John Thomson
• Birds in the Sycamore Area -- by John Thomson
• Water Supply and Sewage Disposal -- by Philip J. Stone
• The Springs on the Upper River -- by Paul H. Cathcart, 1923
• Excerpts from Club Meetings -- 1917-1919
• The Top Secret Slurry Caper -- by John Thomson 1973
• The CIA Canoe Pool -- by Robert S. Sinclair
• Coming Full Circle -- by Bill Kugler