Angelica Rock, also known as Angelica Island, is a one-acre rock

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

emerging from

Buzzards Bay Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 28 miles (45 kilometers) long by 8 miles (12 kilometers) wide. It is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism. Since ...

, within the town limits of

Fairhaven, Massachusetts Fairhaven (Massachusett: ) is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the South Coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. The town shares a harbor wi ...

. The rock is privately owned and is located southwest of Sconticut Neck and Wilbur's Point. The island is home to a number of sea birds as well as a collapsed

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

Description, ecology, and nomenclature

The one-acre island has a rocky beach on its east side and a sandy beach on its north side.Mussel Watch Project Site Descriptions, Through 1997. (1997). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment, Coastal Monitoring and Bioeffects Assessment Division. p55 The surface is a mixture of rock and sea grass. Ribbed mussels live on the beach's rocks. The Town of Fairhaven refers to the island as "Angelica Island," while official nautical charts refer to it as "Angelica Rock."

History and ownership

In the early 1970s, the island was purchased by Aris T. Papas, a clinical psychologist and professor who intended to build a summer home there. Papas and his son constructed the windmill by hauling materials via rowboat, and the windmill was functional until the blades were destroyed by a storm months later. However, the summer home plans were abandoned and a concrete slab from the project remains there today. The windmill collapsed in the 2010s. A family member tried to sell the island in the mid 1990s for about $100,000, but had no buyers. The island has been described as a local landmark and is a frequent subject for photographers. The property is still owned by the Papas family.

References

{{Islands and Peninsulas of Massachusetts Fairhaven, Massachusetts Coastal islands of Massachusetts Islands of Bristol County, Massachusetts Private islands of Massachusetts