Haddam Island State Park is an undeveloped island in the lower

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...

in the

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

of Haddam,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Originally used by the

Wangunk The Wangunk or Wongunk were an Indigenous people from central Connecticut. They had three major settlements in the areas of the present-day towns of Portland, Middletown, and Wethersfield. They also used lands in other parts of what were later org ...

tribe, the island was reserved for their use as part of a land sale to

English colonists The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the American Revolutionary War, ...

in May 1662. In the 19th century, the island was used for fishing and farming. The early 20th century saw it as a place of public recreation, and the State of Connecticut purchased the island and made it a state park in 1944. The park is only accessible by boat, and recommended activities are boating, fishing, and birdwatching.

History

The English settlers in the

Connecticut Colony The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

originally named the island ''Thirty Mile Island'' because it was erroneously believed to be north of the Connecticut River's mouth. The original English settlement in the area was called Thirty Mile Island Plantation. In May 1662, an area of of land, including the island, was sold by the

tribe to the English settlers for 30 coats. However, the natives reserved the right to use the island as part of the sale stipulations. Though little documentation exists today, the Wangunk tribe lived on the island and in the surrounding area before selling it along with the rest of their land. Recorded deeds show that the Wangunk tribe made another land sale in 1672, and the remaining parcels of Wangunk land were sold between 1765 and 1769. At the close of the 18th century, the island was one of the most important fishing locations on the Connecticut River. By 1819, the island was listed as in area and was expected to increase in size following the construction of a

pier image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century. A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...

rod Rod, Ror, Ród, Rőd, Rød, Röd, ROD, or R.O.D. may refer to: Devices * Birch rod, made out of twigs from birch or other trees for corporal punishment * Ceremonial rod, used to indicate a position of authority * Connecting rod, main, coupling, ...

s north of the island, which caused the accumulation of sand at the head of the island. The island is currently listed as in size. In the 19th century, two fishing companies operated from the island and constructed piers, and the island was also used for grazing

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

and farming

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

. Records in the late 19th century indicate that the Haddam Island area of the Connecticut River was

dredged Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...

annually. The island became a popular recreational area with picnics and private events in the beginning of the 20th century. The island was purchased by the State of Connecticut in 1944, and it became a state park. According to legend,

Captain Kidd William Kidd, also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd ( – 23 May 1701), was a Scottish sea captain who was commissioned as a privateer and had experience as a pirate. He was tried and executed in London in 1701 for murder a ...

buried some of his treasure on the island, but none has been found.

Activities

Haddam Island State Park is home to a large number of bird species, especially during annual migrations, which make it suitable for birdwatching. Bird-banding and other research activities have taken place on the island. Other recommended activities are boating and fishing. Access via boat is available from the

Haddam Meadows State Park Haddam Meadows State Park is a public recreation area occupying on the west bank of the Connecticut River in the town of Haddam, Connecticut. The state park offers picnicking, fishing, and a boat launch. Park trails lend access to a diversity ...

boat launch, a half mile south of Haddam Island. The northern side of the island has a beach that is fragile and cannot support heavy visitation, and the island has a significant amount of poison ivy.

References

External links

Haddam Island State Park
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Photo of the island in 1877
in ''Haddam, 1870-1930'' {{authority control State parks of Connecticut Parks in Middlesex County, Connecticut Protected areas established in 1944 1944 establishments in Connecticut Connecticut River River islands of Connecticut Haddam, Connecticut