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Rat Island (Bronx)

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Rat Island

Rat Island is a tiny island in City Island Harbor which is a part of Long Island Sound. It is about halfway between City Island and Hart Island and south of High Island.

It has an odd dual humped appearance and is mostly a lump of bedrock.

Legend says there was a lighthouse there but there is no evidence of that.

In the 1800's Rat Island was used for a Typhoid Quarantine Hospital for about 40 infected people.

The remains of cobblestone walls and foundations are still there.

There also is a channel cut into the bedrock on the southern side of the tiny island that was used for launching small boats.

There is a beach made of Mussel Shells on the west side of the island with some reed grass.

The islands biggest inhabitants are a huge pair of Great Blue Herons that sleep there during the day and feed at the City Island shores at night when awake. Swans and Canada Geese have also been there and Seagulls are all over and the birds feces has turned the island white. No Rats have ever been seen on Rat Island in over 50 years.

The island is said to be privately owned by marine constuction contractor Red Brennan.