Starvation Island facts for kids
Starvation Island (also called Mohawk Island) was a tiny island, about 2.5 acres big. It was located in the Navesink River near Rumson, New Jersey. This special place was between two areas called Sea Bright and Barley Point. For many years, families enjoyed simple summer living on this unique island.
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What is Starvation Island?
Starvation Island was a small piece of land in the Navesink River. It was roughly the size of two and a half football fields. In the early 1900s, people started to live there. The first known residents were George Frick, who was an oysterman (someone who catches oysters), and Thomas Schwindt, a fisherman. Soon, other families began building small summer homes called bungalows on the island.
Life on the Island
From the early 1900s until the 1970s, there were usually between 10 and 13 bungalows on Starvation Island. Families like the Schwindt's, Knop's, and Ruland's would come to the island every summer. They would arrive in early summer and stay until early September. They often called it simply "The Island". Life there was very different from how most people live today.
Daily Life Without Modern Comforts
The bungalows on Starvation Island did not have electricity. This meant no lights, no refrigerators, and no televisions. There was also no running water, so people had to find other ways to get fresh water for drinking and washing. Despite these challenges, the families loved their island life. They enjoyed simple activities like clamming (digging for clams), crabbing (catching crabs), fishing, and boating. It was a time to connect with nature and each other.
Getting There
Reaching Starvation Island was an adventure itself! The only way to get to the island was by boat. However, if the tide was low, you could walk across the riverbed. This path started from where Navesink Avenue ended at the river. The islanders called this spot "the end of the road." It was a unique way to travel to their summer homes.
The End of an Era
The special way of life on Starvation Island came to an end in 1973. All the bungalows on the island burned down in a fire. It is not clear exactly how the fire started. After this, the island was no longer a summer home for these families. The fire marked the end of a unique chapter in the history of the Navesink River.
