Peddocks Island is one of the largest islands in Boston Harbor. Since 1996 it has formed part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the island is home to the now-defunct Fort Andrews, active in harbor defense from 1904 to the end of World War II, on its eastern end, and a group of privately owned

cottages A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a Cotter (farmer), cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager ...

on its western end. Campsites are also on the eastern end.

Ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

service between Peddocks Island and

Georges Island Georges Island, or George's Island, may refer to: Geography *Georges Island (Massachusetts), offshore from the city of Boston, Massachusetts *Georges Island (Nova Scotia), offshore from the community of Halifax in the Halifax Regional Municipali ...

(where Fort Warren stands) is provided on a seasonal basis.

Topography

Peddocks Island lies across Hull Gut from the Pemberton neighborhood of

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

to the north and across West Gut to Nut Island & Houghs Neck to the west. The island is located at 42° 17' 32.6" North latitude and 70° 56' 21.6" West longitude. The area of the island is , its total acreage at low tide is 288, and its highest elevation is 80 feet. Boasting the longest island shoreline in Boston Harbor, Peddocks Island comprises four headlands connected by gravel or sand bars known as tombolos.

History

Ddle Head and East Head of Peddocks Island

One of many

Boston Harbor Islands Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- most po ...

inhabited by Native Americans prior to European settlement in America, Peddock's Island was primarily used for farming since 1634. Its closeness to mainland Boston enabled its use for military purposes as well. During the American Revolutionary War, more than 600 militiamen were stationed on the island to guard against the return of British troops following their

evacuation of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. New England militiamen prevented the movement by land of the British Army, which was garrisoned in what was then the peninsular town ...

by the hand of Gen.

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

on March 17, 1776. A patriot infantrymen's raid on a Loyalist (Tory) farm is also believed to have taken place on the island. In 1904, Fort Andrews was built on the island, and it served as an active harbor defense fort until the end of World War II. As of 2008, 26 of the original buildings of Fort Andrews were still standing — guardhouses, prisoner-of-war barracks, stables, a gymnasium, a firehouse, etc. — although most of them were in decrepit shape and were closed to the public for safety reasons. In 2008, Peddocks Island was used for filming scenes in Martin Scorsese's '' Shutter Island'', starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2011, Boston granted $7.8 million to renovate the island. This will fund a program in which 11 buildings will be demolished and a further 11 restored, in an attempt to make the island more visitor-friendly as a historical museum and nature reserve. Additionally, walking and hiking trails will be provided, along with tours of the historical buildings.

Natural resources

There is a freshwater marsh on the southern end of Peddocks Island. Predominant tree and

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

species on the island include maple, birch, oak, pine, poplar, sumac, and apple. The island is also populated with wild roses and poison ivy. Deer and coyotes are also found on the island.

References

Island Facts: Peddocks Island

U.S. National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properties ...

website
Peddocks Island
'' wikimapia''

External links

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation AreaBoston Harbor Islands Visitor Guide

{{Authority control Boston Harbor islands Hull, Massachusetts Islands of Suffolk County, Massachusetts