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All the United States New York State New York City East Hampton Gardiners Island

Gardiners Island

This private island is still in the family after a 400-year history including a witch hunt and a pirate.

East Hampton, New York

Added By
David Minkin
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An aerial view of Gardiner’s Island   W. Marsh via Wikimedia
An aerial view of Gardiner’s Island   W. Marsh via Wikimedia
The island in winter   Doc Searls via Flickr
A famed windmill sits on the shore   Library of Congress via Wikimedia
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About

In 1639, this island in what is now New York State was settled by a man named Lion Gardiner. The island was made a proprietary colony, granted via a royal decree by Charles I that gave Gardiner “the right to possess the land forever.”

As far as forever goes, that remains to be seen. But the descendants of Lion Gardiner still hold the 3,300-acre island, making Gardiners Island the oldest estate in the United States and the only royal grant from the English Crown still intact in the country.

Over the last 400 years, the island has been embroiled in a series of contemporary flashpoints. In 1657, Gardiner’s first daughter Elizabeth would initiate the first witch hunt in an American colony when, at 15, her accusations of witchcraft led to the arrest and persecution of a farmhand's wife. In 1699, pirate Captain Kidd buried $30,000 worth of treasure—in rubies, diamonds, and bars of silver—on the island. He was kind enough to ask permission to do so, but also threatened to murder the family if the treasure wasn’t still there when he returned. Mrs. Gardiner, the island's proprietor at the time, was later ordered to deliver the booty to the court in Boston where Kidd sat trial. It was pretty compelling evidence for piracy—Kidd was executed.

In more recent years, the island has primarily made headlines for its strict no-trespassing policy and a contentious legal battle between two possible heirs. As of now, the island is unilaterally owned by Gardiner-descendant Alexandra Creel Goelet, who intends, predictably, to keep it in the family.

Related Tags

Islands Pirates Witches Estates

Community Contributors

Added By

The Minx

Edited By

PrestonW, hana

  • PrestonW
  • hana

Published

January 28, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.eastlongisland.com/islands/gardiners_island/gardiners_island_history.html
  • http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/17/nyregion/closely-guarded-secrets-some-islands-you-can-t-get-to-visit.html?pagewanted=all
  • http://visit.easthamptonstar.com/Archive/1/Gardiners-Island-Again-Hands-One-Owner-Robert-Gardiners-death-leaves-niece-control
  • http://www.hamptons.com/Lifestyle/East-End-Heirlooms/13174/Gardiners-Island-A-Nearly-400-Year-Family.html#.VqjrYlMrJmA
Gardiners Island
Gardiner's Island
East Hampton, New York, 11937
United States
41.096667, -72.104167
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Green River Cemetery

East Hampton, New York

miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of East Hampton

East Hampton

New York

Places 3

Nearby Places

Green River Cemetery

East Hampton, New York

miles away

Plum Island Animal Disease Center

Orient, New York

miles away

Bear Rock Studio

Orient, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of East Hampton

East Hampton

New York

Places 3

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