Charles Island - Milford, CT

Gentle waves lap onto a pebbled shoreline with several seagulls perched near the water and in flight. In the background, a verdant islet punctuates... more

by SM Hall

Title

Charles Island - Milford, CT

Artist

SM Hall

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

Gentle waves lap onto a pebbled shoreline with several seagulls perched near the water and in flight. In the background, a verdant islet punctuates the calm blue waters under a mostly clear sky.

From ctparks.com:

Beaches, boardwalks, birds, and a sandbar connecting the park to Charles Island are the big attractions at Silver Sands State Park. Rated the best state park in Connecticut by Travel & Leisure, the park sits along over half a mile of shoreline and features a three-quarter-mile, all-weather boardwalk, sand dunes, marshland, wildlife, and a dazzling array of seashells.

Fun fact: Rumor has it that Capt. William Kidd, a privateer visited Charles Island in 1699, and buried treasure on the island before sailing to Boston where he was arrested. To this day, no treasure has been found!

If you time your visit right, you can venture out to Charles Island, the "Thrice Cursed Island". Once the location of a bustling seaside resort, then a religious retreat, and potentially even Captain Kidd’s buried treasure, the island is now—quite literally—for the birds. The 14-acre tuft of woodland and greenery a half-mile away from shore is an important wildlife sanctuary for a host of rare and treasured avian species.

The state acquired the parklands after Hurricane Diane devastated the coastline and destroyed 75 homes in 1955. Throughout the marsh, you can spot remnants of the cottages’ foundations. When the land transfers of ultimately over 300 parcels were completed in 1960, Silver Sands became the state's fourth shoreline park.

Uploaded

March 28th, 2024