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Revision as of 16:39, 11 December 2004 by RoySmith (talk | contribs) (fix links)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Rat Island is a tiny island in City Island Harbor which is a part of Long Island Sound, near New York City. 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. There 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.
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.
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 have turned the island white. No rats have been seen on Rat Island in over 50 years.
The island is said to be privately owned by marine constuction contractor Red Brennan.