Rat Island (New York)
Rat Island, as seen from City Island
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 Rat Island
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Long Island Sound |
| Coordinates | 40°51′18″N 73°46′51″W / 40.85500°N 73.78083°WCoordinates: 40°51′18″N 73°46′51″W / 40.85500°N 73.78083°W |
| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
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United States
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| State | New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | The Bronx |
Rat Island is a privately owned island in New York City. It is approximately 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) in size and located in City Island Harbor, which is a part of Long Island Sound. It is about halfway between City Island and Hart Island and south of High Island. It is one of the Pelham Islands.
The small irregular island is about 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) in area. It has a dual-humped appearance and is mostly a lump of Manhattan schist bedrock. There is a small channel that cuts into the bedrock on the southern side of the tiny island that was used for launching small boats. This channel is filled with mussel shells. There is a purple-bluish "beach" made of mussel shells mixed with bird bones on the west side of the island with some reed grass.
The highest point on the island is usually covered in gull bird guano and is underwater during high tide storms. The largest inhabitant of the island is usually a great blue heron that sleeps on the island during daytime.
Rat Island was included in the purchase by Thomas Pell in 1654. During the typhoid fever scares of the 1800s, Rat Island was used by Pelham, New York as a typhoid quarantine hospital for about 40 infected people called the "Pelham Pesthouse". The remains of cobblestone walls and foundations are still there. It was abandoned due to storm floods. Local legends say there was also a lighthouse for a while.
New York City purchased the island in 1888. It became a mini colony for writers and artists in the early 20th century. It was bought by Dr. H. A. Parmentier in 1908. He subsequently leased the island to the Mount Vernon Club in 1931.
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Wikipedia