Governors Island (Lake Winnipesaukee) facts for kids
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lake Winnipesaukee Gilford, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 43°36′35″N 71°25′31″W / 43.60972°N 71.42528°W |
| Length | 1.8 mi (2.9 km) |
| Width | 0.7 mi (1.1 km) |
| Highest elevation | 646 ft (196.9 m) |
| Administration | |
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United States
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| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Belknap |
| Town | Gilford |
| Demographics | |
| Population | varies seasonally |
Governors Island is one of six islands connected by bridges on Lake Winnipesaukee. It is part of the town of Gilford, New Hampshire, in the United States. The island is mostly covered with trees and has homes. It covers an area of about 504 acres.
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Governors Island: A Special Place
Governors Island has a long and interesting past. It has been home to important people and even hosted famous guests. Let's explore how this island became what it is today.
Early History of the Island
The island was first given to a British colonial governor named John Wentworth in 1772. A colonial governor was like a leader of a British colony. The island was already known as Governor's Island. This name might have come from John's uncle, Benning Wentworth, who was the governor before him.
During the American Revolution in 1778, the New Hampshire government took back Governor Wentworth's lands. He had left for Nova Scotia. They decided to sell his lands, including Governor's Island. In 1780, John Cushing from Boston bought the island for 9,600 Continental pounds. This was a type of money used at the time.
Later, in 1788, John Cushing sold the island to John Langdon from Portsmouth. John Langdon became a very important person. He served as a United States senator for New Hampshire. He also became the governor of New Hampshire himself.
Changing Hands Over the Years
In 1797, Langdon sold the island to Lemuel Mason. Mason was a soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. Two years later, in 1799, Eleazer Davis bought the island. The Davis family owned the island until 1857. Eleazer's son, Nathaniel Davis, was in charge during this time.
Nathaniel Davis followed a religious movement called Millerism. He held special camps on the island for religious meetings. William Miller, the leader of the movement, even led some of these meetings. In 1857, Nathaniel's sons, Franklin and Eleazer, sold the island. It was bought by George Smith and David Plummer.
Famous Owners and Guests
In 1872, Isaac Merrill and Henry Brown bought the island. They sold it in 1880 to its most famous owner, Stilson Hutchins. Hutchins was the person who started and owned The Washington Post newspaper. He had a huge mansion built on the island in 1885. This mansion was made of granite and was his summer home.
The architect for the mansion was Alfred B. Mullett. He was a very important architect for the U.S. government. The construction was managed by Job W. Angus. He had also built the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Stilson Hutchins welcomed many important people to his summer home. Even U.S. presidents like Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt visited him there. From 1903 to 1908, Hutchins rented the island to the German ambassador to the United States. This was Count von Sternburg. During the summers, Governors Island actually became the location of the German Embassy. It had a staff of twenty people working there.
Modern Times on the Island
The Hutchins family sold Governors Island in 1928. A real estate developer named Clifford Hayes bought it. However, Hayes went bankrupt in 1935. This happened during the Great Depression, a time when many people lost their money and jobs.
Because of this, the few people living on the island formed a group. This group is called the Governor's Island Club. They took over the island to manage it. This club still runs the island today.
