The Pelham Islands

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The Pelham Islands is a historical name for a group of islands in western Long Island Sound. These islands once belonged to Thomas Pell, to whom they owe their name.

The main islands to this group are City Island, Hart Island, Hunters Island, Twin Island, Goose Island, Davids' Island, High Island, Rat Island, the Chimney Sweeps, the Blauzes and Travers Island. City Island is by far the largest, and the only one currently populated. Hart Island, which is the the second largest, formerly housed a prison, but is now uninhabited, and is currently used as a potters field. Along with David's Island, it has had a variety of military uses over the years, including its use as the site of Fort Slocum.

Pell purchased the islands (and much of the surrounding area) from the Siwanoy tribe, also known as the Minneford tribe. Before Pell bought these islands, they were known as The Minneford Islands after it's two main islands, Greater Minneford Island (City Island) and Lesser Minneford Island (Hart Island). The islands are thus sometimes also known as the Minneford Islands. These islands were once part of the town of Pelham, but are now mostly part of The Bronx, except for David's Island and Goose Island which are part of New Rochelle.

Hunters Island and Twin Island are now part of Pelham Bay Park, and are no longer islands; they were connected to Rodman's Neck by landfill in the 1930s when Orchard Beach was constructed. One third of Pelham Bay was filled in to make the beach and its parking lot.

High Island is the site of several commercial radio transmitters. Goose Island, Rat Island, the Chimney Sweeps, and the Blauzes are small, outcroppings of rock. In the early 1800's, Rat Island is said to have had a typhoid quarantine hospital.