Misery Islands: Difference between revisions
m Removed Category:Parks in Massachusetts; Adding category Category:Open space reserves of Massachusetts (using HotCat) |
NewtonCourt (talk | contribs) →History: rewrite history and current status; add link to AMC Trail Guide |
||
| (42 intermediate revisions by 31 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Nature reserve in Salem Sound, Massachusetts}} |
|||
The '''Misery Islands''' are an 87 acre [[nature reserve]] established in 1935 in [[Salem Sound]], [[Salem, Massachusetts]] and is managed by the [[Trustees of Reservations]]. The islands' name come from shipbuilder Robert Moulton who was stranded on the islands during a winter storm in the 1620s. The island, in the past, has been home to a club with a golf course and subsequently about two dozen cottages. The island is now uninhabited.<ref>http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/323_misery_islands.cfm</ref> |
|||
[[Image:MiseryIslandFromBeverlyFarms.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Great Misery Island, as seen from [[Beverly Farms, Massachusetts]]]] |
|||
The '''Misery Islands''' ('''Great Misery Island''' {{coord|42|32|55|N|70|47|53|W|scale:25000_source:GNIS|display=inline}} and '''Little Misery Island''' {{coord|42|32|40|N|70|47|53|W|scale:25000_source:GNIS|display=inline}}) are an {{convert|87|acre|m2|adj=on}} [[nature reserve]] established in 1935 in Salem Sound close to the [[Salem Harbor]] in [[Salem, Massachusetts]]. It is managed by the [[Trustees of Reservations]].<ref name="trustees" /> The islands are a part of the city of Salem, although they are much closer to the mainland of the city of [[Beverly, Massachusetts|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.<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=Misery Islands History |url=https://thetrustees.org/content/misery-islands-history/ |publisher=The Trustees of Reservations |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Historical>{{cite web|title=Massachusetts Naval Aviation Bases 1915-1920|url=http://www.massaerohistory.org/NavalBases_1915-1920.html|publisher=The Massachusetts Aviation Historical Society|access-date=22 March 2016}}</ref> |
|||
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.<ref name=history/> 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.<ref name="trustees">{{cite web|url=https://thetrustees.org/place/misery-islands/|title=Misery Islands|publisher=The Trustees of Reservations |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="AMC">{{cite book |last1=Burk |first1=John S. |title=Massachusetts trail guide : AMC's comprehensive guide to hiking trails in Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod |date=2021 |location=Boston, Massachusetts |isbn=978-1-62842-130-9 |page=305 |edition=11th}}</ref> |
|||
==References== |
==References== |
||
{{reflist}} |
|||
<references/> |
|||
== External links == |
== External links == |
||
* [ |
* [https://thetrustees.org/place/misery-islands/ The Trustees of Reservations: Misery Islands] |
||
* [http://www.essexheritage.org/attractions/misery-islands Essex National Heritage Area] |
|||
{{ |
{{Islands and Peninsulas of Massachusetts}} |
||
{{Protected areas of Massachusetts}} |
|||
{{coord|42.5473|-70.7980|type: |
{{coord|42.5473|-70.7980|type:landmark_scale:50000|display=title}} |
||
[[Category:The Trustees of Reservations]] |
[[Category:The Trustees of Reservations]] |
||
[[Category:Protected areas of Essex County, Massachusetts]] |
[[Category:Protected areas of Essex County, Massachusetts]] |
||
[[Category:Islands of Massachusetts]] |
[[Category:Islands of Essex County, Massachusetts]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Open space reserves of Massachusetts]] |
[[Category:Open space reserves of Massachusetts]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1935]] |
|||
[[Category:1935 establishments in Massachusetts]] |
|||
{{ |
{{EssexCountyMA-geo-stub}} |
||
Latest revision as of 18:59, 3 June 2023
The Misery Islands (Great Misery Island 42°32′55″N 70°47′53″W / 42.54861°N 70.79806°W and Little Misery Island 42°32′40″N 70°47′53″W / 42.54444°N 70.79806°W) 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
[edit]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
[edit]- ^ 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
[edit]
42°32′50″N 70°47′53″W / 42.5473°N 70.7980°W
 | This Essex County, Massachusetts geography–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- The Trustees of Reservations
- Protected areas of Essex County, Massachusetts
- Islands of Essex County, Massachusetts
- Open space reserves of Massachusetts
- Tourist attractions in Salem, Massachusetts
- Protected areas established in 1935
- 1935 establishments in Massachusetts
- Essex County, Massachusetts, geography stubs