Two miles off the coast of southeast Connecticut, and about ten miles from the east end of Long Island, Fishers Island nestles the salt watery border of New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Its history as a point of contention between Connecticut and New York goes back to the 1600s, and though it is undoubtedly part of New York today, let's face it, Connecticut is closer. The main lifeline to the mainland is the ferry to New London, which runs several times a day.
About 250 residents live on Fishers Island year round, but in the summer the population rises to about two-thousand. Over the years it has become know as a summer retreat for the wealthy from New York City and southern New England.
I landed on a windy day in early March. The ferry ride was short but choppy. The north side of the island was blustery and cold, but the south side was calm and warm. You can cover Fishers Island in a few hours. It's one mile wide and approximately nine miles long. So yes, if you can run a half marathon, you can run Fishers Island. And it would be a good run, with open air, beautiful views, and challenging hills.
The island is like a small, rural, eastern Connecticut town. There is a town center, but the most important buildings are more jumbled toward the center, rather than sitting firmly in the middle. A post office, a few small shops (some closed by the pandemic), a pre-K-12 school, a volunteer fire department, a fairly large grocery store, a number of small churches, a yacht club, a links style golf course and a small air strip. Did I leave anything out? The hardware store, a few marinas, a large home restoration business, and, of course, the ferry.
Before it became a place of retreat for the well-to-do, the residents of Fishers Island were farmers and herders and then brick makers, which may explain all the brick houses facing the grasslands near the airport.
There were once large hotels on the island, but they were closed by the Depression. Now Fishers is a quiet sanctuary for those who own property on the island. There's not much to do for off-islanders, and few places to stay overnight.
But islands, no matter how small, are always enchanting and this one is worth dropping by, because it's so close. Like people who live in New York City and never visit the Statue of Liberty, it seems a shame not to take a look when you can see it from shore.
Credits:
© Dean Pagani 2021