Saturday, August 05, 2023

Ever heard of Gardiner's Island, New York?




In 1639, this 3300 acre island at the east end of Long Island, 6 miles long, 3 miles wide and has 27 miles of coastline in what is now New York State was settled by 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.”

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.

In the mid 70s, the inheritor gave tours to non-profits, as required by laws about non-profit foundations, for educational purposes, with two trucks - often to the Boy Scouts

the trucks are probably still there (not easy to get them off the island)



in 1978, there was a camera crew that filmed this short tour, historically interesting, especially if you see it, as propaganda from the last proud family member to be public about the family and the island, before you watch either of the next two videos:



I'm sure that due to the cost of taxes, the amount of neglect to the few buildings there and the hurricanes and winter storms that give Long Island annual trouble, and the singular number of inheritors who can sell it for a ridiculous amount of money to the neighboring billionaires who have homes on Marthas's Vineyard, Long Island, and the Hamptons - it will soon have a new owner

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