Imagine, if you will, stepping onto a small island. This is Slate Island. It is a place where history and nature intertwine. It is a part of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.
Slate Island is small. It is only about 12.5 acres. The island gets its name from the slate outcroppings. These formations define its unique character.
For thousands of years, Indigenous people visited Slate Island. They came seasonally. Then, European colonists arrived. They began extracting slate from the island. In 1631, the government restricted quarrying. Permission was needed from the colony’s general court.
William Torey received a grant for Slate Island in 1650. The grant included a special condition. It stated that anyone could freely use the slate. Soon after, the town of Hull took ownership of the island.
Slate quarrying shaped the island’s landscape. Remnants of these quarries are still visible today. The mining contributed to soil erosion. It left a lasting mark on this rocky island.
In the 1800s, a hermit made Slate Island his home. He lived in a small hut near the southern cove. A writer named Moses Forster Sweetser commented on the hermit’s isolated existence. He said the hermit’s life made Thoreau’s hermitage at Walden seem like a busy city square after a show.
In the 1890s, Edwin Clapp owned Slate Island. He gave it to the Clapp Memorial Association. The association hosted summer camps on the island in 1937. However, the camp closed the following summer. It lacked proper sanitary facilities.
In the 1970s, Slate Island became public property. It joined the Boston Harbor Islands State Park. Today, the island is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Slate Island has unique natural features. It consists of slate outcrops covered with glacial till. The highest point is 32 feet above sea level. A rocky shoreline and mudflats surround the island. At low tide, these mudflats connect it to Hingham.
Various plants thrive on Slate Island. Poison ivy is abundant. Grasses, salt-spray rose, sumac, and ferns also grow here. Be cautious when exploring the island.
From Slate Island, you can see beautiful views. Hingham, Hull, Bumpkin, and Grape Island are all visible. You can also see Peddocks and Worlds End. Despite its attractions, Slate Island lacks trails and docks. It is not serviced by the park ferry.
Slate Island is a testament to time. It is a place where nature reclaims what was once industrialized. The island stands as a reminder of its past. Its slate formations, colonial history, and natural beauty offer a unique glimpse into Boston Harbor’s story.