TUPPER LAKE, N.Y. -
The Friends of Eagle Island say a National Historic Landmark could be in danger.
Eagle Island is a great camp in New York's Adirondacks. Right now it's for sale and that has many people concerned.
The Girl Scouts of New Jersey received the island and its buildings as a gift. A gift they now appear ready to trade for a lot of money, without any restrictions.
That has upset former campers and the family that donated the island.
"Buz" Graves' family history is tied to this 32-acre island.
"I would love to see it preserved," says Graves.
His great-grandfather, Henry Graves, donated the island to the Girl Scouts of New Jersey in 1937.
"My great-grandfather trusted who he was talking to that said we want to open it and make it a camp for girls. He said fine and essentially shook hands," says Graves.
And for seventy-years the Girls Scouts ran a camp there. But in 2009 they closed it and two-years later decided to put the island up for sale.
What concerns Friends of Eagle Island is not only is the Girl Scouts trying to sell the island for more than three-million dollars but they would also allow it to turn into a private retreat.
Graves says that could mean the historic buildings could be destroyed as would the Girls Scouts original word to his great-grandfather.
Graves says Friends of Eagle Island offered the Girl Scouts a million-dollars to buy the island and that was rejected. Now he says the group hopes by suing the Girl Scouts, for not sticking to its promise, they will make sure the island remains a camp for girls.
"The island comes alive with kids," says Graves. "And that's going to be lost."
We reached out to the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey several times for them to explain why the island was being sold and if it was breaking a promise to Graves' family.
They told us they were aware of the lawsuit but had no comment.
