We are very lucky to be having our wedding on Isola Bella, a small island on Twin Lakes, which operates as a camp for hearing impaired children every summer. The Bogle family home looks out on Isola Bella and its signature tower.

Carolyn has been visiting Twin Lakes ever since she was a little girl. But the history of the area goes back much further, nearly 400 years:

1671: The earliest recorded history of Twin Lakes

1867: The island (now named Isola Bella) was mostly used for sheep grazing.

1871: New railroads were built and trains began passing through the area. Vacationers began to appear.

1891: The island became a popular gathering spot for Camp Riga Club members. They built a barn that became a dance hall, where an all-girl band played weekly.

1912: John T. Alvord built the stone tower you can still see on the island today. John was inspired by European towers, particularly one on the northern Italian island of Isola Bella.

1925: John's niece, Muriel, became the owner, and named the island "Isola Bella."

1935: A causeway was built to join the island to the mainland.

1960: Muriel passed away, and her will instructed her husband, Ferrari Ward, to select a tax-exempt organization to receive the island after his death. He chose The American School for the Deaf (or ASD).

1963: Ferrari Ward died in 1963, and the ASD took over. Since then, they have operated a summer camp for hearing impaired children on the island. Isola Bella's rustic feel, its original buildings, and its natural habitat remain fully intact.

Registry