Hendrick Island facts for kids
Hendrick Island is a big piece of land in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It used to be connected to the main land. Now, a large part of the Delaware River flows between it and the rest of the state. The island is part of Solebury Township. It is also a special protected area inside Delaware Canal State Park.
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Exploring Hendrick Island's Geography
Hendrick Island is located where the Delaware River starts to turn. This is just north of New Hope, Pennsylvania. Unlike most islands in the Delaware River, Hendrick Island was once part of the mainland. Over time, three river channels have formed in this area. One channel is between Pennsylvania and Hendrick Island. The main channel is between Hendrick Island and Eagle Island to the east. Another channel is between Eagle Island and New Jersey.
Island Size and Nature
The island is about 112-acre (45 ha) in size. It has a large deciduous forest, even though its soil is a bit sandy. You might see deer swimming to the island from Pennsylvania. Squirrels also live there. The shoreline is mostly rocky, especially on the eastern side and northern tip. Many types of fish and water snakes live in the water nearby. The western coast formed more recently. It is not as rocky and has a more uneven shape. The island narrows to a rocky point at its southern end. This point is about three-quarters of a mile downstream from the northern tip.
Unique Island Landscape
Hendrick Island has a very interesting landscape. This is unusual for islands in the Delaware River. The middle of the island is about 15 feet (4.6 m) higher than the river's normal level. Because of this, the island has two different natural areas. One is a flat area along the shore that often gets covered by water. This is called a riparian habitat. The other is a deciduous forest farther inland. This forest is like the land you would see in the surrounding areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Visiting Hendrick Island: Access and Fun
Hendrick Island is a protected natural area. It is part of Pennsylvania's Delaware Canal State Park. Visitors are welcome during the day. However, you are not allowed to camp overnight on the island.
How to Get to the Island
The only ways to reach the island are by swimming or by boat. If you have a canoe or kayak, you can launch it from a small parking lot. This lot is managed by the Pennsylvania State Park Service. It is next to the north point of the island. Another option is to launch from the Bull's Island recreation area. This area is about one mile (1.6 km) upstream on the New Jersey side of the river. When you are done, a public boat launch in Lambertville, New Jersey is a good place to take your boat out.
Boating Tips for the Island
If you launch an unpowered boat from the Pennsylvania side, you will need a special permit. This permit comes from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Larger boats should not try to get too close to the island's rocky shore. Boats passing by the island should use the far eastern channel of the river. This channel is between Eagle Island and New Jersey. The other two channels are often too shallow for safe travel.
The island's shoreline changes all the time. This depends on the river's water level. So, there isn't one perfect spot to land your boat. But the northern part of the western coast is usually the best area. When the water is low, it is often easier to walk to the island from the Pennsylvania shore. This is better than trying to boat over.
Hendrick Island's Past
From the 1700s until 1866, the island had many different names. Its name changed each time a new person owned it. In 1866, a local farmer named Mr. John Hendrick bought the island. It stayed in his family for thirty years. People say his son and daughter-in-law lived on the island with their child during this time. Even though the island has had other owners since then, the name Hendrick Island has remained. There are no clear signs of the Hendrick family's house left. However, there are some old foundations on the southern half of the island. These look like they might have been from destroyed buildings.
In 1950, the writer Arthur Koestler bought this island. At that time, it was known as "Hooker's Island" or "Island Farm." He wrote about buying it in his book Stranger on the Square. He sold the island in 1954. In 1955, PECO Energy bought the island. They wanted to build a power plant there. But the plant was never built. In 1996, the Bucks County Heritage Conservancy bought the island. Today, the Pennsylvania Department of the Conservation of Natural Resources manages it. It is a natural area within Delaware Canal State Park.
After the big floods in 2004 and 2005, a lot of trash and broken things floated down the river. This debris ended up on Hendrick Island, especially along the western shore. Now, it is harder to get into the middle of the island from the western shore. But it seems like the floods did not cause much harm to the island's nature.
