Great Captain Island facts for kids
Great Captain Island Light, from a postcard (c. 1907-1914)
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 Great Captain Island
Location in Connecticut
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Long Island Sound |
| Coordinates | 40°58′57″N 73°37′24″W / 40.98250°N 73.62333°W |
| Area | 0.070 km2 (0.027 sq mi) |
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United States
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| State | Connecticut |
| County | Fairfield |
| City | Greenwich |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 3 (2012) |
Great Captain Island, also known as "Great Captain's Island," is an island located off the coast of Greenwich, Connecticut. This island is about 17.2-acre (7.0 ha) big. It is the largest of three islands in a group, which also includes Little Captain and Wee Captain.
The island was formed by glaciers long ago. It has a very large rock called a glacial erratic on its southern side. The east and west parts of the island are connected by a tombolo, which is a narrow strip of land. Great Captain Island has been owned by different people over time, but the Town of Greenwich has owned the entire island since 1973.
The island is home to the Great Captain Island Light, a lighthouse built in the 1800s. It was fixed up in 2009 and its light was turned on again in 2012. However, this light is not used for navigation anymore. The actual navigation light is on a tall metal tower built in 1970.
Great Captain Island is special because it's one of Connecticut's 26 "important bird areas." This means it's a vital place for many bird species. The town offers a ferry service to the island during the summer months. Visitors can explore trails, use picnic tables, grills, and restrooms, and swim in marked areas. The island is open all year, but the ferry only runs in summer.
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Island Location and Formation
Great Captain Island is about 17.2-acre (70,000 m2) in size. It is the biggest of three islands, with Little Captain and Wee Captain being the others. This island is the southernmost point of land in both Connecticut and all of New England.
The Town of Greenwich explains that Great Captain Island is what's left of a glacial moraine. This is a pile of rocks and dirt left behind by a melting glacier. The island has different types of rocks, like gneiss, schist, and granite. You can also see a very large glacial erratic on the southern side. A glacial erratic is a huge rock that was moved by a glacier and left behind when the ice melted.
The island's east and west sides are joined by a tombolo. A tombolo is a narrow strip of land or sand that connects an island to the mainland or to another island. On the southern side of Great Captain Island, there's a lagoon that curves around the lighthouse. The island is also close to several harbors, like Port Chester Harbor.
A Look Back: Island History
There are two main ideas about how Great Captain Island got its name. One story says the island was named after Captain Kidd. People rumored that he buried a treasure of gold and silver there!
Another idea, which the Town of Greenwich also mentions, is that the name "Captain" honors Captain Daniel Patrick. He was involved in the first recorded land deal in Greenwich in the 1640s. He was also the town's first military leader.
In 1763, King George III of Great Britain gave the island to a man named John Anderson. Later, in 1829, the United States government bought 3.5 acres of land on the island from Samuel Lyons. For 50 years in the 1800s, both New York and Connecticut claimed the island. Finally, a special group decided that the island belonged to Connecticut.
Lighthouse keepers and their families used to farm on the land. Other parts of the island were used for hunting, fishing, and fun. In 1926, the rest of the island was sold to a builder. He built a fancy clubhouse there, which opened in 1930. But because the Great Depression had just started, the club soon closed.
The Town of Greenwich took over the island because of unpaid debts. They then sold it to a company called Port-Green Corporation. During this time, the Coast Guard accidentally burned down the clubhouse. They were looking for a missing plane and dropped flares, which started a fire. Another fire in 1955 destroyed the rest of the club.
In 1955, a company called Areotech Industries bought the island. They used it as a fun spot for their employees. They even built small cottages there in 1957. While Areotech owned it, the island was called Huckleberry Island. The Town of Greenwich bought it back in 1966 for $90,000. Finally, in 1973, the federal government gave the town the land where the lighthouse stands.
The Great Captain Island Lighthouse
The Great Captain Island Light was first built in 1829. It was on the 3.5 acres of land that Samuel Lyons sold to the government. The first lighthouse was not built very well. So, in 1868, a new one was built. This new lighthouse was made of granite and had the light attached to the building.
This lighthouse has a similar design to others in the area. You can see lighthouses like it at Sheffield Island Light in Norwalk, Morgan Point Light in Noank, Old Field Point Light and Plum Island Light in New York, and Block Island North Light in Rhode Island.
The lighthouse stopped being used in 1970. A new, tall metal tower was put up to guide ships instead. The Town of Greenwich took over the lighthouse property in 1973. Full-time caretakers lived there until 2003, when the lighthouse became too old and worn out.
A big project to fix up the lighthouse was finished in 2009. A special light was turned on in 2012. This light flashes green every four seconds, but it's not for navigation. It's just there to show the lighthouse is active. In 1991, the Great Captain Island Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
In 2010, a special plaque was placed at the lighthouse. It honors the 23 people who lived in Greenwich or had a connection to the town, and who died in the September 11 attacks. Today, a family lives in the lighthouse. They are the caretakers of the property.
Island Wildlife and Birds
Great Captain Island is one of Connecticut's 26 "important bird areas." This means it provides a very important home for one or more types of birds. The Connecticut Audubon Society says this island is crucial for bird life.
Great blue herons have been living on the island since the 1990s. Other birds like great egrets, snowy egrets, and black-crowned night herons also make their home here. The island was once known for having the largest number of herons and egrets in the state.
However, in the early 2000s, the number of these birds dropped a lot. For example, in 1998, there were 364 wading birds counted. By 2004, that number was down to only 98.
Patrick Comins, who works for Audubon Connecticut, thinks a few things might be causing this drop. He believes that people disturbing the birds could be a problem. Also, there might be competition from other birds like cormorants. A great horned owl that lives on the island might also be eating some of the wading birds. Comins also suggested that pollution in the waters of Long Island Sound could be affecting the bird populations.
Wading bird populations on the island by year
| Name | 1998 | 2001 | 2004 |
| Great egret | 46 | 98 | 24 |
| Snowy egret | 139 | 40 | 33 |
| Black-crowned night heron | 179 | 150 | 41 |
| Total | 364 | 298 | 98 |
In the higher parts of the island, an area that used to be a grassy lawn has changed. Now, you can find trees like oak, hickory, ash, cherry, tree of heaven, and sassafras. Near the lighthouse, some bushes have been trimmed to create different types of homes for wildlife. Also, a line of shrubs has been planted on the cliffs east of the lighthouse.
Visiting Great Captain Island
The Town of Greenwich runs a ferry service to Great Captain Island. This ferry usually operates from the second week of June through the second week of September. Once on the island, visitors can walk along marked trails.
The western part of the island has nice areas for visitors. You'll find picnic tables, grills for cooking, and restrooms. There are also signs showing where it's safe to swim. The island is open all year round, but remember, the ferry only runs during the summer months.
It's important to know that there are no public tours of the lighthouse or the island itself. In 2012, a big storm called Hurricane Sandy caused damage to the area. It washed away the walkway that led to parts of the island.
Images for kids
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Great Captain Island Light, from a postcard (c. 1907-1914)
