Outer Brewster Island facts for kids
Outer Brewster Island, also called Outward Island, is one of the many islands in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. It's located about 10 miles away from downtown Boston. This island is about 20 acres big and has rocky ground covered with good soil. Its shores are rocky with tall cliffs. Outer Brewster Island is a very important place for many kinds of coastal birds to build their nests. These birds include cormorants, gulls, common eider ducks, glossy ibis, and American oystercatchers. During their nesting season, the birds can be protective of their nests. Because of this, people are asked not to visit the island during this time. You can only get to the island by private boat.
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Discovering Outer Brewster Island
Outer Brewster Island, like its neighbors Great Brewster, Little Brewster, and Middle Brewster, is named after William Brewster. He was an important leader and teacher for the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony. The island is quite rocky and doesn't have many trees. This is why it hasn't been used much by people over the years.
Past Uses of the Island
Even though it's mostly rocky, Outer Brewster Island has been used for a few things in the past.
- In the 1800s, people operated a granite quarry here. A quarry is a place where stone is dug out of the ground.
- During World War II, a special defense area called Battery Jewell was built on the island. This was part of a plan to protect the coast.
Both the quarry and Battery Jewell are no longer used today.
Early Ownership and Quarrying
In 1798, a man named Nathaniel Austin bought Outer Brewster Island for $400. He had big plans for the island. He wanted to create a successful quarry business. He even built a special harbor on the island to help with this. Some buildings in Charlestown, like the house at 27 Harvard Square and 92 Main Street, were built using stone from his quarry on Outer Brewster.
Military History of Outer Brewster
The United States government bought the island from a private owner in 1913. Its main purpose became military defense during World War II.
Battery Jewell and Coastal Defense
Outer Brewster Island became part of the Brewster Islands Military Reservation. A large battery, named Battery Jewell, was completed in 1943. This battery had powerful 6-inch guns designed to protect the coast. A radar station was also built on the island to help detect enemy ships or planes. The Army stopped using the island in 1947. After that, it was sold to a private owner before becoming a state park in 1973.
Protecting the Island's Future
In 2005, an energy company called AES Energy wanted to build a liquified natural gas terminal on Outer Brewster Island. This kind of terminal would store and process natural gas. However, many groups of people did not agree with this plan. Environmental groups, people who enjoy outdoor activities, and boaters all worked together. Their strong opposition helped stop the proposal from moving forward. This shows how important it is to protect special places like Outer Brewster Island.
