Apparently:
"The origin of 1000 Island Dressing is related to George Boldt, one-time owner of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York and of the Bellevue-Stratford in Philadelphia.
Legend has it that while cruising aboard his yacht amongst the 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence River, as his steward prepared luncheon, he discovered that some of the ingredients normally used in his dressings were not available.
He prepared a dressing using a variety of ingredients which George Boldt found so pleasing that he decided to have it served in his hotels. It was called 1000 Island Dressing in honour of the beautiful area where it was first prepared. The steward was promoted to work at the Waldorf Astoria and subsequently rose to international fame as Oscar of the Waldorf.
The story of 1000 Island Dressing is inextricably associated with the romance of Boldt Castle the palatial Rhenish structure perched atop Heart Island in the 1000 Islands."
- who knew? (source:
http://www.gananoque.com/thd.html)