Mill Rock facts for kids
Mill Rock as seen from Wards Island Bridge. The Citicorp Building and Big Allis are visible in the background.
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 Mill Rock
Location in New York City
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| Geography | |
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| Location | East River, New York County, New York, USA |
| Coordinates | 40°46′51″N 73°56′18″W / 40.7807°N 73.9384°W |
| Area | 3.5 ha (8.6 acres) |
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United States
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| State | New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | Manhattan |
Mill Rock is a small island in New York City. It is not home to any people. The island sits in the East River, between Manhattan and Queens. It is about 1,000 feet (300 meters) from Manhattan's East 96th Street. Mill Rock is located near a tricky spot for ships called Hell Gate.
Contents
The History of Mill Rock Island
Early Days of Mill Rock
Long ago, in 1664, Mill Rock was actually two smaller islands. A person named William Hallet bought them from the local Native American tribes. Later, in 1701, John Marsh built a mill (a machine for grinding things) on one of the islands. That's how they got their names: Great Mill Rock and Little Mill Rock.
From 1840 to 1898, a man named Sandy Gibson lived on the island. He operated a farm there, even though he didn't officially own the land.
Mill Rock During the War of 1812
During the War of 1812, the United States government built a small fort on Great Mill Rock. This fort had two cannons. It was part of a chain of forts meant to protect New York Harbor. These forts helped guard the passage into Long Island Sound from the British Navy.
Making the East River Safer
The area around Mill Rock, especially Hell Gate, was very dangerous for ships. There were many hidden rocks underwater. In the late 1800s, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began to clear these rocks.
In 1885, they used a huge amount of explosives – about 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg)! They blew up a nearby island called Flood Rock. This island was the most dangerous obstacle for ships in the East River. People felt the explosion as far away as Princeton, New Jersey. It was one of the biggest planned explosions before the atomic bomb was invented.
After the explosion, the leftover pieces of Flood Rock were used. In 1890, these pieces filled the space between Great Mill Rock and Little Mill Rock. This joined the two smaller islands into the single island we now call Mill Rock.
Mill Rock Park and Its Wildlife
Mill Rock is owned by New York City. It is managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as Mill Rock Park. There is a dock on the south side of the island. However, it has not been open to the public since the 1960s. The island has since become wild again with lots of plants.
Since about 2008, Mill Rock has become an important home for birds. It is a nesting place for several types of birds, including:
- Black-crowned night herons
- Great egrets
- Snowy egrets
- Great black-backed gulls
- Fish crows
- Double-crested cormorants
Many of these birds, like the herons and egrets, are thought to have moved to Mill Rock from nearby North Brother Island.
Images for kids
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Mill Rock as seen from Wards Island Bridge. The Citicorp Building and Big Allis are visible in the background.
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This fort was built on Mill Rock during the War of 1812.
