Children's Island facts for kids
Children's Island is a small island located near Marblehead, Massachusetts. It's actually part of the city of Salem. Since 1955, the YMCA of the North Shore has used the island to run a popular summer day camp for children. The island's history goes way back, with the first written record appearing in 1655. Over the years, it has been owned by many different people and used for various purposes. It was once a hospital, then a summer resort, and later a special home for sick children, before becoming the fun camp it is today.
What's in a Name?
This island has had many names throughout history! Some of its old names include Catta, Cotta, Catt, Lowell, and Pollard. For most of its history, it was known as Cat Island. Some people thought "Catta" might have come from an early Marblehead resident named Robert Cotta. However, there's no real proof connecting him to the island. In 1996, the Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA officially changed the island's name from Cat Island to Children's Island.
Island History: A Journey Through Time
Early Days: Colonial Times
The first time Children's Island was mentioned in writing was in 1655. It was called "Catta Iland" and was given to Governor John Endecott by the General Court of Massachusetts. Before this, the island was likely used for gathering smooth rocks for ships, letting animals graze, and cutting down trees for building ships. In 1629, a Reverend named Francis Higginson described many islands in the area as being full of "thicke woods and high trees." Children's Island was probably one of these.
After Governor Endecott passed away in 1665, he left the island to his wife and then to his sons. Later, in 1684, his grandson's daughters sold the island, then called "Catt Iland," for 16 pounds. The island changed hands many times over the years. In 1738, there was a mention of a house on the island for the first time. Finally, in 1773, the island was sold to four important men from Marblehead. They had a big plan: to build a hospital for smallpox.
Essex Hospital: A Controversial Idea
In 1773, a serious smallpox outbreak hit Marblehead. Doctors knew that inoculation (a very early form of vaccination) could help. But many people were very scared of this practice. In August 1773, a town meeting was held to discuss building a smallpox hospital on an island. The town said no to a public hospital. However, they agreed to let a private hospital be built, as long as the town leaders could control it.
The four men who bought Children's Island (still called Catt Island) on September 2, 1773, were John Glover, Jonathan Glover, Azor Orne, and Elbridge Gerry. They were well-known political figures. By October, the hospital was built. The first patients arrived on October 19 and were inoculated. They stayed on the island until they were no longer contagious.
In January 1774, some patients tried to land in an unauthorized area in Marblehead. This made many townspeople very angry, leading to riots. A few weeks later, four men were caught trying to steal contaminated clothes from the island. They wanted to cause a smallpox outbreak to get the hospital shut down. The next morning, these men were "tarred and feathered" and paraded through town.
Because of all the opposition, the hospital owners asked the town to buy the hospital or help clean it. The town refused to buy it but did form a committee to oversee cleaning. The committee members went to the island to clean. But on the second night, about 20 townspeople sneaked onto the island and set the hospital on fire! Everyone escaped safely, but the buildings were destroyed. The owners tried to sue for damages, but soon everyone's attention turned to the upcoming American Revolutionary War.
Wars and Landmarks: Revolutionary War and War of 1812
During the American Revolutionary War, the British closed Boston Harbor. This meant many ships went to Marblehead and Salem instead. British warships, like HMS Fowey, often anchored near Children's Island (still Cat Island). Their crews sometimes went ashore for supplies like rocks, wood, and water. In January 1776, Captain Montagu of the Fowey even moved from Cat Island to another island to find more water.
In December 1775, three British ships sailed around Children's Island, threatening to attack Marblehead. But they left without firing. They probably realized they were too exposed near the island and the fort at Gale’s Head (now Fort Sewall).
On January 8, 1776, a local observer noted that the Fowey crew cut down all the trees on Cat Island. This might have been to get a better view of Marblehead Harbor or for fuel.
The island's owners held onto it through the war. Later, it was sold to Edward Fettyplace in 1795. People continued to visit the island. In 1791, Reverend William Bentley described it as a "very rocky shore" but with "15 to 20 acres of good pasture land." He also noted the remains of the burned hospital.
Shipwrecks were a big problem around Marblehead Harbor because there were no clear markers. To help, people started planting trees on large rocks as landmarks. In 1806, three trees were planted on the "Eastern rock of Cat Island," now known as Cormorant Rock. Later, a tall spar (a pole) with a cask on top was put on Cormorant Rock to help sailors.
A popular local story says Children's Island helped protect the USS Constitution during the War of 1812. While the island was nearby, it was actually Fort Sewall and the tricky harbor entrance that saved "Old Ironsides" from British ships in 1814.
By 1816, the Fettyplace family owned the island completely. They sold it in 1846, and it changed hands a few more times before 1850.
Lowell Island House: A Summer Resort
In 1850, a railroad company bought Children's Island (Cat Island) for $1000. They wanted to create a seaside resort to attract more passengers. In August 1851, the first trip to the newly named Lowell Island was a big success!
Encouraged by this, the owners built a large hotel on the island. It opened on June 15, 1852. The hotel had many rooms, a dining hall for 250 people, bowling alleys, and areas for sea bathing and fishing. They made sure no alcohol was sold. The hotel was popular but didn't make money. It was sold several times. Eventually, Samuel B. Rindge bought it in 1878 and continued to run it as a resort. Later, his son, Frederick H. Rindge, donated the property to a charity called St. Margaret's Home of Boston. It was then used as the Children's Island Sanitarium.
Children's Island Sanitarium: A Place for Healing
The Children's Island Sanitarium was established in 1886. Frederick Rindge donated the island, buildings, and $1000 to help start it. In the late 1800s, many believed that "sea air" was very good for children with bone and joint problems, or those who were not getting enough nutrients.
The Sanitarium opened on July 11, 1886. It hosted about 150 children who were suffering from conditions like rickets (a bone disease from lack of vitamin D) or other health issues. It's important to know that this was NOT a hospital for children with contagious diseases like active tuberculosis. Instead, it helped children with non-contagious joint and bone infections or deformities.
One big problem for the island was always the lack of fresh water. Even the British ships in 1776 had to leave the island to find water. The hotel also struggled because there wasn't enough water for its many guests. In 1907, the Sanitarium tested the island's well water. The results showed it was "unfit for drinking" because it had a bad smell and too much organic material.
In 1946, a major financial supporter withdrew its help. This meant the Sanitarium had to close. The island then remained unused for a while.
Children's Island Day Camp: Fun in the Sun!
In 1955, the Marblehead YMCA leased Children's Island and started a summer camp. The next year, the YMCA bought the island with donations from four of its directors. They built a new pier and converted two old foundations into swimming pools. In the 1960s, buildings for sailing and arts and crafts were added.
The island faced challenges, too. In 1978, a big blizzard caused a lot of damage, and the YMCA had to take out a loan for repairs. During the "Perfect Storm" in 1991, the island was damaged again, and the pier was almost destroyed. It was moved to a different spot but later moved back to its original, more protected location.
Today, children are picked up from docks in Marblehead and Salem to go to camp. Activities include sailing, archery, swimming, nature studies, arts & crafts, and fishing. A popular "Rangers" Program, similar to Boy Scouts, was created in the 1960s. Even though it was called Children's Island since the Sanitarium days, its name was officially changed from Cat Island to Children's Island in 1996.
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