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This article is about the island in New York. For the island in Alaska, see Rat Island (Alaska).

Rat Island is a tiny island that is privately owned and approximately half an acre in size located 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 is one of The Pelham Islands.

Description

The small irregular island is about 2.5 acres in area. It has an odd dual humped appearance and is mostly a lump of Manhattan schist bedrock. There is a small channel that cuts into the bedrock on the southern side of the tiny island that was used for launching small boats. This channel is filled with mussel shells. There is a purple-bluish "beach" made of mussel shells on the west side of the island with some reed grass. The highest point on the island is usually covered in Gull bird guano and is underwater during high tide storms.

History

Rat Island was included in the purchase by Thomas Pell in 1654. During the typhoid fever scares of the 1800s, Rat Island was used by Pelham, New York as a typhoid quarantine hospital for about 40 infected people as well as the "Pelham pesthouse". The remains of cobblestone walls and foundations are still there. It was abandoned due to storm floods. Local legends say there was also a lighthouse for a while. New York City purchased the island in 1888. It became a mini colony for writers and artists in the early 20th Century. It was bought by Dr. H. A. Parmentier in 1908. He subsequently leased the island to the Mount Vernon Club in 1931. It was owned by a Brooklyn lawyer until 1972 when it was sold to Red Brennan who still owns it. He said he bought it to do salvage work and store equipment. It is still privately owned. In March 2009, Brennan, put Rat Island up for sale for $300,000. Many locals still falsely think it is owned by the NYC Department of Parks. In summer months, it may have as many as 30 people on it, mostly fishermen. The Parks Department has waste drums so they may contain their garbage. Sometimes, the local first responders use it to practice rescue missions with boats and helicopters.

Name

It is not known how the island received its name. It has been proposed by Red Brennan and others that prisoners escaping from Hart Island nearby, nicknamed "rats", used the small island to rest before swimming on to City Island and freedom.

References

1. ^ Samuels, Tanyanika (March 24th 2009). "For enough cheese, Rat Island is yours: Family wants 300G for spot near City Island". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-03-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. ^ Rat Island p.551, New York City Guide, Federal Writers' Project, 1939.

40°51′18″N 73°46′51″W / 40.85500°N 73.78083°W / 40.85500; -73.78083

v t e Islands of New York City
Major islands	Long Manhattan Staten
Pelham Islands	The Blauzes Chimney Sweeps City Cuban Ledge Green Flats Hart High Hunter Rat Twin
New York Bay	Castle Clinton Cypress Tree Ellis Governors Hoffman Lafayette Liberty Swinburne Entirely in NJ Black Tom Robbins Reef
Jamaica Bay	Barren Bergen Broad Channel Coney Canarsie Pol Mau Mau Mill Plumb Ruffle Bar
Arthur Kill Kill Van Kull	Isle of Meadows Prall's Shooters
East River Newtown Creek	Berrien's Cob Dock Mill Rock Mussel North and South Brother Randalls and Wards Rikers Roosevelt U Thant (Belmont)
North River (Hudson River)	North Battery Paparinemin Little Island Park
Former islands shown in italics

• Islands of New York City
• The Bronx
• Long Island Sound