Calf Island, Massachusetts
| Calf Island | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | Boston Harbor , Atlantic Ocean | |
| Geographical location | 42 ° 20 '24 " N , 70 ° 53' 19" W | |
|
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| surface | 14.2 ha | |
| Highest elevation | 11.6 m | |
Calf Island (also Apthorps Island ) is an island in Boston Harbor . It is 9 mi (14.5 km ) from downtown Boston in the state of Massachusetts in the United States . Calf Iceland has a permanent area of approximately 35 acres (0.14 square kilometers) defined by a Watts , depending on the tidal range is temporarily enlarged by up to 16 acres (0.06 square kilometers).
The island is connected to the mainland by ferry and is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area .
geography
geology
The island consists of standing rock , which is covered with a thin layer of earth. The highest point is 38 ft (11.6 m ) above the waterline. In the center of the island there is drinking water - marshland .
Flora and fauna
Due to the thin layer of soil, only plants such as grass , shrubs and salt-tolerant tree species such as wild cherry and plum can settle on the island, and chives also thrive . The island's wildlife is still the subject of scientific research.
history
For several thousand years the island was seasonally used by the Native Americans until it was transferred to William Brewster , a settler of the Plymouth Colony , in the 1600s . Later it was owned by Charles Apthorp , who also owned Long Island and other properties in the port.
In 1845 James Turner owned the island. He built his house from the wreckage of the wrecked steamship Ontario that had washed ashore . In the same year, a group of lobster fishermen also built some small wooden huts. In 1883 illegal boxing matches took place on the island.
In 1902 Benjamin Pierce Cheney, Jr. and his wife Julia Arthur built a two-story colonial summer home on the island. In 1971 the remains of the building fell victim to a fire, in 1990 vandals destroyed one of the two chimneys.
During World War I , the United States federal government commandeered the island and held control until the end of World War II .
Attractions
The ruins of the former dwellings are still standing on the island, as is a stone wall .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Island Facts: Calf Island. National Park Service , accessed May 31, 2013 .
Web links
- Boston Harbor Islands. ( PDF ; 433 kB) Outer Islands. National Park Service , accessed May 31, 2013 (map of the island).