Citizendia

The Thimbles
Map of Thimble Islands
Map of Thimble Islands
Geography
Location Branford, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°15′52″N, 72°45′11″W
Total islands 100+


Administration
Flag of the United States United States
State Connecticut


Thimble Islands.
Thimble Islands. Branford is a town located on Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut, eight miles (13 km east of New Haven. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

The Thimble Islands are an archipelago of small islands in Long Island Sound, in and near the harbor of Stony Creek, Connecticut in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut, . An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Long Island Sound is an Estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and various Rivers in the United States that lies between the coast of Connecticut Stony Creek is a shorefront section of Branford Connecticut, centered on a Harbor on Long Island Sound, in the southeast corner of the town Branford is a town located on Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut, eight miles (13 km east of New Haven. Some of the shoreline residences in the nearby Stony Creek and Pine Orchard sections of Branford have a spectacular view of the Thimbles. Branford is a town located on Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut, eight miles (13 km east of New Haven.

As outcroppings of the famous Stony Creek pink granite bedrock which were once the tops of hills but have become islands with the rise in sea level after the most recent ice age, the Thimble Islands are much more stable than most of the islands in Long Island Sound, which are terminal moraines of rubble left by retreating glaciers. Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet usually the Earth. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Long Island Sound is an Estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and various Rivers in the United States that lies between the coast of Connecticut A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a Moraine that forms at the end of the Glacier called the snout "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period.

Contents

History

Known to the Mattabeseck Indians as Kuttomquosh[1], "the beautiful sea rocks," they consist of a jumble of granite rocks, ledges and outcroppings resulting from glaciation, numbering between 100 and 365 depending on where the line is drawn between an island and a mere rock. Mattabeseck River In early Dutch maps of the American Colonies from the early 17th Century the term Mattabeseck is applied to an area of land just to the north of New Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. The islands serve as a rest stop for migrating seals. Pinnipeds ("fin-feet" lit "winged feet" or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine Mammals comprising

The first European to discover the islands was Adrian Block in 1614. Adriaen (Aerjan Block (c 1567 Amsterdam &ndash buried April 27 1627, Amsterdam was a Dutch private trader and navigator who is best Legend says that Captain Kidd buried his treasure here, causing intermittent interest among treasure hunters who believe they have unearthed a clue to its location, although more interest is generally paid to Gardiners Island, 30 miles (48 km) away. William " Captain " Kidd ( c 1645 &ndash May 23, 1701) was a Scottish sailor remembered for his Treasure (from Greek θησαυρος Thesaurus, meaning "a treasure of the chest" is a Cognate) is a concentration of riches often one Gardiners Island is a small Island in eastern Suffolk County in the U

The islands themselves - long prized by sailors on the Sound as a sheltered deep-water anchorage - comprise 23 that are inhabited (most of them wooded), numerous barren rocks and hundreds of reefs visible only at low tide.

Although they are said to be named for the thimbleberry, a relative of the black raspberry, that plant is seldom seen in the area, and is more frequent in northern New England. Rubus parviflorus ( Thimbleberry) is a species of Rubus, native to western and northern North America, from Alaska History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the Other species of blackberry and raspberry, however, are sometimes referred to by residents of the area as thimbleberries. The BlackBerry is a Wireless Handheld device introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager The raspberry (plural raspberries) is the edible Fruit of a multitude of plant species in the subgenus Idaeobatus of the genus Rubus

In Reflections in Bullough's Pond, Diana Muir describes the important nineteenth century oyster farming industry that thrived around these islands. Reflections in Bullough's Pond Economy and Ecosystem in New England is a book by Diana Muir. Diana Muir Muir spent childhood summers on Lewis Island in a mansion built by an oysering fortune. Lewis Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut.

Islands

Satellite image of the Thimble Islands with the largest islands labeled.
Satellite image of the Thimble Islands with the largest islands labeled.

The largest Thimble Islands are:

Other named Thimble Islands include Hen Island, East Stooping Bush Island, Potato Island, Smith Island, Cut in Two Island (East and West), tiny Phelps Island, Wheeler Island aka Ghost Island, Mother in Law Island aka Prudden Island, West Crib Island, East Crib Island, Little Pumpkin Island, Lewis Island, Kidd's Island, Reel Island, Beldens Island, Burr Island, Jepson Island, Wayland Island, and Frisbie Island, which is maintained as a sanctuary for wild birds. This article refers to Connecticut's Hen Island For the one located on Lake Erie, see Hen Island (Ontario. East Stooping Bush Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Potato Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Smith Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Cut in Two Island, East and West are two of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Phelps Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Ghost Island redirects here for other uses see Ghost Island (disambiguation. Mother in Law Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. West Crib Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. East Crib Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Little Pumpkin Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Lewis Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Kidd's Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut, possibly named for Captain Kidd, who Legend Reel Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Beldens Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. This article refers to Connecticut's Burr Island. For the British coastal island see Burgh Island. Jepson Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Wayland Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut. Frisbie Island is one of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut, United States.

Svenningsen ownership

In 1976, party goods magnate John Svenningsen of Amscan, Inc. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. purchased West Crib Island. After his death in 1997, his widow Christine Svenningsen purchased Wheeler Island in 1998, followed by Rogers, Phelps, Jepson, and Cut in Two East in 2003, Reel in 2004, Cut in Two West in 2005, Beldens in 2006[2] and East Crib in 2007, at a total cost of more than $36 million, thus making her the largest residential taxpayer in Branford. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [3] She has also come under some criticism by neighbors of her mainland house, who have complained about trucks going in and out as renovations are conducted on her islands. [4]

Recent Selling Prices of Thimble Islands
Year 1976 1998 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Island West Crib Wheeler Rogers Phelps Jepson Cut in Two East Reel Cut in Two West Beldens East Crib
Price $131,500 $520,000 $22,300,000 $1,000 $1,400,000 $3,400,000 $100,000 $2,400,000 $2,770,000 $3,150,000

Environment

As with most of southern New England, the ecology of even the wildest sections of the islands are not undisturbed indigenous flora and fauna, but are the result of thousands of years of intermittent human occupancy; one particularly intrusive event being the toppling of all the trees on every island during the American Revolutionary War in order to eliminate any hiding places for British ships. Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of In Botany, flora ( Plural: floras or florae has two meanings The first meaning flora of an area or of time period, refers to all Fauna is all of the Animal life of any particular region or time In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots"

The plant species of the islands were extensively studied by Yale botanist Lauren Brown; although the islands represent a unique ecological niche, combining a thin layer of soil, a high concentration of salt and extreme exposure to weather, no unique, unusual or rare plant species have been found; instead, the shrubs and trees represented are generally similar to those on the nearby mainland, selecting only those which reproduce by berries or other fruit carried by birds to the islands, for example raspberries, blackberries, sassafras, cherries, etc. Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or The word berry has two meanings one based on a botanical definition the other on common identification The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Sassafras is a genus of three Sassafras trees grow from 15–35 m (50–120 feet tall and 70–150 cm (2 This article is about the Cherry berry also classified as fruit for the ornamental tree See Cherry Blossom. The exception to this is large stands of pitch pine, whose airborne seeds are apparently able to travel the distance from the mainland. The Pitch Pine ( Pinus rigida) is a small-to-medium sized (6-30 m Tree, often contorted due to fire or weather Poison ivy has established itself in many sites on the islands, in some places thick enough to essentially eliminate entire areas from human contact.

In marked contrast to the mainland, oaks are particularly absent, even though blue jays are capable of ingesting acorns and carrying them from place to place. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin The Blue Jay ( Cyanocitta cristata) is a Passerine bird and a member of the family Corvidae native to North America. The acorn is the nut of the Oak tree (genera Quercus, Lithocarpus and Cyclobalanopsis, in the Nevertheless, some infrequent oak, maple, beech and other trees do appear in scattered locations about the islands; from their locations they appear to be deliberately planted by residents, or the descendants of such plantings. Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or For the babyfood see Beech-Nut. Beech ( Fagus) is a genus of ten Species of Deciduous Trees in the Other cultivated plants, such as ivy and some types of climbing roses, have established themselves on the islands to the point of becoming invasive species. Hedera (English name ivy, plural ivies) is a genus of 15 species of climbing or ground-creeping Evergreen woody plants in the family A rose is a perennial flowering Shrub or vine of the Genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions

Mammals other than human beings are generally not found on the islands; although a rare squirrel or deer is reported seen, they appear to be isolated arrivals, and no mammalian populations have established themselves other than bats, voles and some mouse and rat infestations closely associated with the human habitations. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands A squirrel is one of the many small or medium-sized Rodents in the family Sciuridae. A deer is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. A vole is a small Rodent resembling a Mouse but with a stouter body a shorter hairy tail a slightly rounder head and smaller ears and eyes A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea Snakes are occasionally sighted; it is not know whether they arrived on their own, or were carried in as stowaways with loads of cargo. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales.

Culture and recreation

The inhabited islands bear a total of 81 houses: 14 islands have only one, one (Governor) has 14, one (Money) has 32, and the rest have between two and six. The houses are built in a variety of styles, ranging from a 27-room Tudor mansion, with tennis and basketball courts and a caretaker's residence on 7. The Tudor style in architecture is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period (1485&ndash1603 and even beyond for conservative college Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) In Basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface consisting of a rectangular floor with baskets at either end A Property caretaker is a person who cares for Real estate for trade or financial compensation and sometimes in exchange for rent-free living accommodations 75 acres on Rogers Island, to small summer cottages built on stilts or small clusters of buildings connected by wooden footbridges. A footbridge is a Bridge designed for Pedestrians and in some cases cyclists and horse riders, rather than vehicular Traffic Some of the houses cover a small island completely, while Money Island, 12 acres (49,000 m²) in size, bears an entire village of 32 houses, a church and post office buildings, concealed among tall trees. One of the Thimble Islands off Stony Creek, a section of Branford Connecticut, Money Island is named after the legend that Captain Kidd buried Some of the houses were once occupied year-long, but now are only used in the summer. The exposed nature of the houses makes them dangerous during storms; local residents still talk about the hurricane of 1938, which killed seven people. The New England Hurricane of 1938 (or Great New England Hurricane or Long Island Express or simply The Great Hurricane of 1938) was the first major The exclusivity of the houses has made them quite expensive, therefore residents are divided between local families who have owned their homes for generations, and more recent residents who tend to be wealthy. The least expensive houses, on Money Island, are appraised at about $600,000.

Only six islands get electrical power through underwater cables from the shore; the rest utilize some combination of generator, solar power, batteries or kerosene and propane. Electric power is defined as the rate at which Electrical energy is transferred by an Electric circuit. Underwater is a term describing the realm below the surface of Water where the water exists in a natural feature (called a body of water) such as an Ocean A power cable is an Assembly of two or more Electrical conductors, usually held together with an overall Sheath. In Electricity generation, an electrical generator is a device that converts Mechanical energy to Electrical energy, generally using Electromagnetic Solar energy is the Light and radiant heat from the Sun that powers Earth 's Climate and Weather and sustains Life In electronics a battery is a combination of two or more Electrochemical cells which store chemical Energy which can be converted into electrical energy Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage is a Combustible Hydrocarbon liquid Propane is a three- Carbon Alkane, normally a gas but compressible to a liquid that is transportable About half the islands get fresh water through underwater pipes from shore; the rest utilize wells or rainwater, or have containers of water delivered. Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to No sewers serve the islands, requiring the use of septic tanks for all sewage treatment. Description A septic tank generally consists of tanks between the size of 1000 and 2000 gallons (4000 - 7500 litres which is connected to an inlet wastewater pipe at one end and Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing Contaminants from Wastewater, both Runoff ( Effluents [5]

Current and past well-known residents of the islands range from General Tom Thumb on Cut in Two Island East to Garry Trudeau, Doonesbury cartoonist and Jane Pauley, broadcast journalist. For the similarly named governor of New Jersey see Charles C Stratton. Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948) is an American Cartoonist, best known for the Doonesbury comic strip Doonesbury is a Comic strip by G B Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of a vast array of different characters of different ages professions A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing Cartoons Traditionally much of this work was and still is humorous and is intended primarily for entertainment purposes Margaret Jane Pauley (born October 31, 1950, in Indianapolis Indiana) is an American Television Journalist, and has been For the band see Broadcast (band Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or Video signals which transmit A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends President William Taft established his "Summer White House" on Davis Island for two years. William Howard Taft (September 15 1857 – March 8 1930 was an American politician, the twenty-seventh President of the United States, the tenth Chief Justice Actor Frank Converse purchased a two-acre Thimble Island in 1975 and showman Billy Rose once owned Tavern Island. Frank Converse (born May 22, 1938 in St Louis Missouri) is an American actor Billy Rose ( September 6, 1899 &ndash February 10, 1966) Rose was diminutive in stature [6] Residents of the area tend to protect the privacy of island dwellers, obeying the 5-mile-an-hour speed limit for motorboats and never landing without an invitation. A motorboat is a vessel propelled by an Internal combustion engine driving a jet pump or a Propeller.

Sailing through the islands can be tricky for those unfamiliar with the area, because of the disorientation caused by the myriad of similar islands (particularly at night), the hidden underwater rocks and ledges, and the complex currents caused by the tides acting on the channels between the rocks. An ocean current is continuous directed movement of Ocean water. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood Physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a River, slough or ocean Strait consisting of a bed and banks

In the warm season, a small ferry, Thimble Island Ferry Service , transports people and goods between the islands and the Stony Creek harbor on the hour from 8 a. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and m. to 8 p. m. Prior to the advent of telephones, islanders would hang a red flag on the dock to request a ferry visit. An on-call water taxi has recently been added, and three tour boats take passengers on scenic cruises; kayak tours are also available. A kayak is a small human-powered Boat. It typically has a covered deck and a cockpit covered by a Spraydeck. Many residents have their own boats, and some occasionally arrive by seaplane. A seaplane is a Fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting on water

Sailing Club

The Thimble Island Sailing Club is a club of more then 100 members centered in the Thimbles. Currently, they race JYs for younger children, Cooks, Blue Jays, Lasers and Cat Boats. Races are every Sunday during summer.

Notes

  1. ^ Hughes, Arthur and Morse S. Allen. Connecticut Place Names. Hartford, Connecticut: The Connecticut Historical Society, 1976.
  2. ^ "Another 'Thimble Island' sells at a bargain", New Haven Register, Dec. 4, 2006
  3. ^ "Svenningsen adds another island to her collection," New Haven Register, April 28, 2007
  4. ^ "Branford neighborhood up in arms," New Haven Register, April 28, 2007
  5. ^ Varley, Robert (2005-09-18). "Simple life on Thimble Islands a throwback to bygone era". The New Haven Register.
  6. ^ Brooks, Andree (1982-06-20). "The Magic of an Island Home". The New York Times.

References

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org