Misery Islands
The Misery Islands (Great Misery Island 42°32′55″N 70°47′53″W / 42.54861°N 70.79806°W / 42.54861; -70.79806 and Little Misery Island 42°32′40″N 70°47′53″W / 42.54444°N 70.79806°W / 42.54444; -70.79806) are an 87-acre (350,000 m2) nature reserve established in 1935 in Salem Sound close to the Salem Harbor in Salem, Massachusetts. It is managed by the Trustees of Reservations.[1] The islands are a part of the city of Salem, although they are much closer to the mainland of the city of Beverly, in whose aquatic territory they lie.
History
The islands' name come from shipbuilder Robert Moulton who was stranded on the islands during a winter storm in the 1620s. Great Misery Island, in the past, has had numerous structures on it. In the early 1900s, there was a private club that catered to socialites from Boston and surrounding areas.[2] There was a casino, saltwater swimming area, 9-hole golf course (all par 3s) and lounge. After several years of business, the club went bankrupt and was abandoned. The land was sold off to private owners, many of whom built cottages on the land. Many records show that upwards of 25 cottages were on the island at one time. From 1916 to 1917, the Massachusetts State Militia Aviation Camp was an encampment of the Massachusetts Naval Air Militia on the island.[3]
In the late 1920s a fire burned the majority of the structures down. The fire was blamed on a brush fire, but many of the residents believed it may have been set by visitors from land, since the fire happened during the off-season when owners were not there and cottages had been closed for the season. During the 1940s, a seaplane hangar was built on the west side of the island and was used for private charters, the hangar has since been removed but parts of the foundation can still be found along the beach.
In 1935, a private nonprofit group, the North Shore Association, was formed to protect the land from development.[2] The association purchased most of the island, and turned it over to The Trustees of Reservation for preservation. The Trustees acquired the remainder of the island by gift and purchase between 1938 and 1997. The island is now uninhabited and is open to the public for recreation.[1][4]
References
- ^ a b "Misery Islands". The Trustees of Reservations. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Misery Islands History". The Trustees of Reservations. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ "Massachusetts Naval Aviation Bases 1915-1920". The Massachusetts Aviation Historical Society. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ Burk, John S. (2021). Massachusetts trail guide : AMC's comprehensive guide to hiking trails in Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod (11th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts. p. 305. ISBN 978-1-62842-130-9.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
- The Trustees of Reservations: Misery Islands
- Essex National Heritage Area
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- Abnecotants Island
- Adams Island
- Amrita Island
- Angelica Rock
- Apple Island
- Averills Island
- Bachelor Island
- Bakers Island
- Bar Rock (Scituate)
- Baret Island
- Barton Island
- Bassetts Island
- Bates Island
- Beaver Island
- Big Pine Island
- Big Quamino Rock
- Billingsgate Island
- Bird Island
- Black Rock
- Blueberry Island
- Boston Ledge
- Brant Island
- Brant Rock
- Bumpkin Island
- Busta Rhymes Island
- Button Island
- Calf Island
- Carrick Island
- Castle Rock
- Cemetery Island
- Chappaquiddick Island
- Children's Island
- Childs Island
- Choate Island
- Chubb Island
- Clark Island
- Clark's Island
- Cleveland Island
- Cobble Island
- Coney Island
- Conspiracy Island
- Cormorant Rock (Marblehead)
- Corn Island
- Cove Ledge
- Crow Island
- Crowninshield Island
- Cuttyhunk Island
- Decatur Rock
- Deer Island (Amesbury)
- Dole Island
- Egg Rock (Concord)
- Egg Rock (Nahant)
- Elizabeth Islands
- Fish Island
- Gallops Island
- Georges Island
- Gooseberry Island
- Governors Island
- Grand Island
- Grape Island (Weymouth)
- Grape Island (Ipswich)
- Great Brewster Island
- Green Island
- Gull Island
- Hales Island
- Hangman Island
- Holy Island
- House Island
- Langlee Island
- Little Brewster Island
- Long Island
- Lovells Island
- Marblehead Rock
- Martha's Vineyard
- Middle Brewster Island
- Misery Islands
- Monomoy Island
- Moon Island
- Muskeget Island
- Nahant
- Nantucket
- Nashawena Island
- Naushon Island
- Nixes Mate
- Noddle's Island
- Nomans Land
- Nonamesset Island
- Nut Island
- Onset Island
- Outer Brewster Island
- Pasque Island
- Peddocks Island
- Penikese Island
- Plum Island
- Popponesset Island
- Popponesset Spit
- Raccoon Island
- Ragged Island
- Rainsford Island
- Sampsons Island
- Sarah Island
- Shag Rocks
- Snake Island
- Spectacle Island
- Spinnaker Island
- Stall Hill Island
- Tewksbury Rock
- Thacher Island
- The Graves
- Thompson Island
- Three and One-half Fathom Ledge
- Tinker's Island
- Tuckernuck Island
- Uncatena Island
- Veckatimest Island
- Washburn Island
- Weepecket Islands
- West Island
- Wickets Island
- Winter Island
- Cape Ann
- Cape Cod
- Castle Island
- Charles River Peninsula
- Charlestown Neck
- Columbia Point
- Deer Island
- Houghs Neck
- Humarock
- Pemberton Point
- Popponesset Peninsula
- Ram Head
- Rocky Point
- Rose Point
- Salem Neck
- Shawmut Peninsula
- Wings Neck
- World's End
42°32′50″N 70°47′53″W / 42.5473°N 70.7980°W / 42.5473; -70.7980
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