At roughly a quarter of the size of Belden Island (1.04 acres to 0.28 acres), Jepson Island is without a doubt the little brother of the two. The islands serve as a rest stop for migrating seals. She recently decided to part with two of the islands—who really needs more than seven individual islands, anyway?—and put the 1/3-acre Jepson Island, as … Sailing through the islands can be tricky for those unfamiliar with the area, because of the disorientation caused by the myriad of similar islands (particularly at night), the hidden underwater rocks and ledges, and the complex currents caused by the tides acting on the channels between the rocks. Real Estate Agents Reveal the Toughest Home Buyers They’ve Ever Met Mammals other than human beings are generally not found on the islands; although a rare squirrel or deer may be seen, they appear to be isolated arrivals, and no mammalian populations have established themselves other than bats, voles, and some mouse and rat infestations closely associated with the human habitations. Any services or products provided by independently owned and operated franchisees are not provided by, affiliated with or related to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC nor any of its affiliated companies. Three of Connecticut’s Thimble Islands are on the market. Included in this sale is Reel Island, located a short distance from Jepson Island and has potential for a second floating dock. Photo Courtesy of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty and Shoreline Aerial Photography. House is powered by a generator and passive solar. With a rocky area of almost 1,4 hectares (one-third of an acre), a beautiful view of the Connecticut coastline opens up. Snakes are occasionally sighted; it is not known whether they arrived on their own, or were carried in as stowaways with loads of cargo. [citation needed]. Belden Island is conveniently located in Long Island Sound, a short distance off the Branford shoreline near the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club. meters (962 sq. Poison ivy has established itself in many sites on the islands, in some places thick enough to forbid entire areas from human intrusion. The rumor goes that the Islands … The exclusivity of the houses has made them quite expensive, therefore residents are divided between local families who have owned their homes for generations, and more recent residents who tend to be wealthy. Christine Svenningsen late Monday [August 27] listed Jepson Island and the larger Belden Island for sale—the first time an entire island in the Thimbles has been for sale in at least the past 5 years… Read more: Hartford Courant. Legend says that Captain Kidd buried his treasure here, causing intermittent interest among treasure hunters who believe they have unearthed a clue to its location, although more interest is generally paid to Gardiners Island, 30 miles (48 km) away. One of the Thimble Islands, one acre Belden Island offers a charming story book 4 bedroom cottage, fully furnished and ready to be enjoyed. Jepsen Island is a.28 acre lot with a two-bedroom, 1 bathroom house. Currently, they race JYs for younger children, Lasers, Cat Boats and J22s. Two of the islands, the 3.2 hectares Rogers Island and Cut-in-Two Island, were sold, and the sellers, Christine and Edmund Stoecklein, decided to keep some of … Elsewhere in the Thimbles, the one-acre Belden Island offers up more space and more history, but at double the price: $4M. Although they are said to be named for the thimbleberry, a relative of the black raspberry, that plant is seldom seen in the area, and is more frequent in northern New England. The exception is large stands of pitch pine, whose airborne seeds are apparently able to travel from the mainland. Other species of blackberry and raspberry, however, are sometimes referred to by residents of the area as thimbleberries. Jepson Island is a little over one-quarter of an acre and has a 1,100-square-foot house with a wraparound deck. The Thimble Islands are included in the Stony Creek–Thimble Islands Historic District, a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The lawn, too, is … Belden Island can be accessed by private watercraft or the Thimble Island water taxi. Jepson Island has 0.28 acres of land and a 1,018 square-foot home. Actor Frank Converse purchased a 2-acre (8,100 m2) Thimble Island in 1975. Belden Island is listed for $3.95 million and Jepson Island for nearly $2 million, according to the William Pitt Sotheby's web site, which is handling the sale. ft. ∙ 0 Belden Is, Branford, CT 06405 ∙ $1,500,000 ∙ MLS# 170247161 ∙ OWN YOUR OWN PRIVATE ISLAND, 75 minutes from … [2] The 1,400-acre (570 ha) area of the district[3] includes the Thimble Islands plus the access road to the islands (Thimble Islands Road between Route 146 and Long Island Sound) and surrounding properties in the Stony Creek section of Branford. An on-call water taxi has recently been added, and three take passengers on scenic cruises. In contrast to the mainland, oaks are particularly absent, even though blue jays are capable of ingesting acorns and carrying them from place to place. Scroll to explore each awe-inspiring property that comprise this exquisite offer. Races are every Saturday or Sunday during summer. Belden is slightly over an acre and has a 1912 colonial with about 2,100 square feet and clam beds. Legend has it Captain Kidd buried his treasure on the island while fleeing pirate hunters. Courtesy Daniel Milstein Photography Buyers interested in owning their own Connecticut private island can choose between Jepson Island, Belden Island, and the largest of the lot, Wheelers Island, which might come with an extra perk—hidden treasure. Only six islands get electrical power through underwater cables from the shore; the rest use some combination of generator, solar power, batteries or kerosene and propane. Known to the Mattabeseck Indians as Kuttomquosh,[1] "the beautiful sea rocks," they consist of a jumble of granite rocks, ledges and outcroppings resulting from glaciation, numbering between 100 and 365 depending on where the line is drawn between an island and a mere rock. One of the Thimble Islands, one acre Belden Island offers a charming story book 4 bedroom cottage, fully furnished and ready to be enjoyed. The wrap-a-round covered porches give stunning 360 degree … The 4-bedroom cottage on Belden Island boasts two stone fireplaces, vintage wood floors and pristine landscaping. In Reflections in Bullough's Pond, Diana Muir describes the important nineteenth century oyster farming industry that thrived around these islands. Photo of Belden Island (top left) by Dan Milstein, photo of Jepson Island (top right) by Planomatic, and photo of Wheelers Island (bottom) by Dan Milstein . You don’t even have to rob a bank to make a purchase: one of them, Jepson Island, is for sale for $ 800 thousand. For the islands in Antarctica, see, Stony Creek–Thimble Islands Historic District, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, "Another 'Thimble Island' sells at a bargain", "Connecticut - New Haven County - Historic Districts", Simple life on Thimble Islands a throwback to bygone era, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thimble_Islands&oldid=979318097, Landforms of New Haven County, Connecticut, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Brown, Lauren, and Sharp, Penelope C. (1986), This page was last edited on 20 September 2020, at 02:41. Jepson Island and Belden Island, two private islands that reside among the Long Island Sound archipelago known as the Thimble Islands, are the exclusive listings of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc., executives of the real estate brokerage company have announced. Belden Island is 1.04 acres and includes a 4-bedroom, 2 bathroom house. Jepson Island, Belden Island and Wheelers Island, each with their own house, beach and dock, are listed with Margaret Muir for a total of $5.3M. The house has an area of almost 90 square meters. Belden Island has slightly more room with 1.04 acres and 2,038 square feet. This sanctuary summer home overlooks a rolling green lawn with irrigation, sandy beach and private dock. As a result, the Thimble Islands are much more stable than most other islands in Long Island Sound, which are terminal moraines of rubble deposited by retreating glaciers. Many residents have their own boats, and some occasionally arrive by seaplane or by helicopter. The islands themselves - long prized by sailors on the Sound as a sheltered deep-water anchorage - comprise 23 that are inhabited (most of them wooded), numerous barren rocks and hundreds of reefs visible only at low tide. [3] Georgian architecture is represented.[2]. Three of Connecticut’s Thimble Islands are on the market. Some of the houses were once occupied year-long, but now are only used in the summer. Jepson Island can be accessed by private watercraft or the Thimble Island water taxi. The Thimble Islands are just two hours from New York and Boston, and their ideal location made them a convenient summer White House for President William Howard Taft. In the warm season, a small ferry, Thimble Island Ferry Service, transports people and goods between the islands and the Stony Creek harbor on the hour from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Named after the famed Captain William Kidd, Kidd's Island is one of the many landforms that bear his name in the Thimble Islands off of Stony Creek in Branford, Connecticut, as well as Kidd's Harbor, Kidds Lane, and Money Island, which was named for his treasure. For Sale: 4 beds, 2 baths ∙ 2038 sq. 0 Belden Island, Branford, CT Price: $1,500,000 Size: 2,038 square feet Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 2 Behold: The summer house to end all summer houses. People, Myth, and Place Around the World Virtual Soirée (1/4) Thursday, March 11th at 5pm Eastern Time Easter Island—or Rapa Nui as it is known to its inhabitants—is one of the most remote places on Earth. Additional amenities are city water and an irrigation system. Buyers interested in private island mansions can choose between Jepson Island, Belden Island and the mysterious Wheelers Island, which is said to have buried treasure. The .77-acre island is the site of an 8-bedroom Victorian home with two wrap-around porches and outdoor dining area. There is a beach, a pier and parking. The exposed nature of the houses makes them dangerous during storms; local residents still talk about the hurricane of 1938, which killed seven people. This sanctuary summer home overlooks a rolling green lawn with irrigation, sandy beach and private dock. This sanctuary summer home overlooks a rolling green lawn with irrigation, sandy beach and private dock. President William Taft established his "Summer White House" on Davis Island for two years. The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in Long Island Sound, located in and around the harbor of Stony Creek in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut.. "Ghost Island" redirects here. Other named Thimble Islands are Hen Island, East Stooping Bush Island, Potato Island (also known as Dove Island), Smith Island, Cut in Two Island (East and West), tiny Phelps Island, Wheeler Island aka Ghost Island, Mother in Law Island aka Prudden Island, West Crib Island, East Crib Island, Little Pumpkin Island, Lewis Island, Kidd's Island, Reel Island, Beldens Island, Burr Island, Jepson Island, Wayland Island, and Frisbie Island, which is maintained as a sanctuary for wild birds. The Thimble Island Sailing Club is a club of more than 100 members centered in the Thimbles. Jepson Island2 Jepson Island, one of two of the Thimble Islands now up for sale. Keep track of your favorite homes, searches and be the first to know of new homes. [2], The historic district area includes 346 buildings and four other structures. It’s also one of the most enigmatic, a puzzle with many more questions than answers, where. The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in Long Island Sound, located in and around the harbor of Stony Creek in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty Logo are service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC and used with permission. Svenningsen paid $1.4 million for the island in 2003, property records show. Of the hundreds of Thimble Islands, about 25 are considered habitable. Jepson Island, Wheelers Island and Belden Island, part of the Thimble Islands in the Long Island Sound, are all on the market. Screenshot: website / www.williampitt.com. About half the islands get fresh water through underwater pipes from shore; the rest use wells or rainwater, or have containers of water delivered. Save favorite homes, searches and get alerts, Customize this site to better fit your needs. The other island, Jepson Island, holds a more contemporary home, built in the 1980s. A two-bedroom contemporary home with natural materials, walls of glass and cathedral ceilings graces the 1-acre island. Jepson Island, One Of The Thimbles, Sold For $715,000 - Branford, CT - The island, which includes a furnished two-bedroom home, was sold by the widow of … The Thimbles were a favorite roaming ground of his, and he may have, as local legend states, buried some of his riches here. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Jepson Island is a little over one-quarter of an acre and has a 1,100-square-foot house with a wraparound deck. Jepson Island has just enough space for a house, on stilts no less, a small lawn, and a floating dock. Own Your Own Private Island, 75 minutes from NYC off Idyllic CT coast! The plant species of the islands were extensively studied by Yale botanist Lauren Brown; although the islands represent a unique ecological niche, combining a thin layer of soil, a high concentration of salt, and extreme exposure to weather, no unique, unusual, or rare plant species have been found; instead, the shrubs and trees represented are generally similar to those on the nearby mainland, selecting only those that reproduce by berries or other fruit carried by birds to the islands, for example raspberries, blackberries, sassafras, cherries, etc. The islands are under the jurisdiction of the United States with security provided by the town of Branford police and the US Coast Guard. The archipelago of islands made up of Stony Creek pink granite bedrock were once the tops of hills prior to the last ice age. The house has extensive decking wrapped around the house and clamming beds that go with the property. Now the so-called “Island Lady,” with an urge to spend more time in Washington State where she and her husband own property, is trying again. Muir spent childhood summers on Lewis Island in a mansion built by an oystering fortune. Land: Christine Svenningsen, who was married to a party-goods magnate, sold Belden Island for $3.95million and Jepson Island for nearly $2million. Jepson Island — about a third of an acre with a 1,000-square-foot, contemporary-style house — carries an asking price of just under $2 million. As with most of southern New England, the ecology of the islands has been heavily influenced by thousands of years of intermittent human occupation. The properties, part of the Thimble Islands and located in the Long Island Sound, was last for sale in 2016 as part of a $78 million eight-island package. WPS Holdings LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. The houses are built in a variety of styles, ranging from a 27-room Tudor mansion, with tennis and basketball courts and a caretaker's residence on 7.75 acres (31,400 m2) on Rogers Island, to small summer cottages built on stilts or small clusters of buildings connected by wooden footbridges. Other cultivated plants, such as ivy and some types of climbing roses, have established themselves on the islands to the point of becoming invasive species. The charming 100-year-old Victorian farmhouse looks to be impeccably maintained, despite one corner hanging precariously off a rocky outcrop. She’s listed Wheelers Island along with two others close by—Belden Island and Jepson Island. Current and past well-known residents of the islands range from General Tom Thumb on Cut in Two Island East to Garry Trudeau, Doonesbury cartoonist and Jane Pauley, broadcast journalist. Jepson Island has 0.28 acres of land and a 1,018 square-foot home. Jepson Island, Belden Island and Wheelers Island, each with their own house, beach and dock, are listed with Margaret Muir for a total of $5.3M. One of the Thimble Islands, one acre Belden Island offers a charming story book 4 bedroom cottage, fully furnished and ready to be enjoyed. Kayak tours are also available. For other uses, see, "Kidd's Island" redirects here. Christine Svenningsen, who amassed a collection of small islands, is selling two of them: Belden Island for $3.95 million, and Jepson Island for nearly $2 million. Scroll to explore each awe-inspiring property that comprise this exquisite offer. One particularly intrusive event was the felling of all the trees on every island during the American Revolutionary War to eliminate hiding places for British ships. Like Belden Island, the home does not have its own power, but has a sandy beach and dock for boat mooring. [5] Residents of the area tend to protect the privacy of island dwellers, obeying the 5-mile (8.0 km)-an-hour speed limit for motorboats and never landing without an invitation, though trespassers are often cited and ticketed. No sewers serve the islands, requiring the use of septic tanks for all sewage treatment.[4]. Sotheby’s International Realty global site. The Thimble Islands Home Owners Association advises motorboats to stay at least 50 feet offshore other islands. The 0.28-acre Jepson Island, offered at $800,000, includes a furnished two-bedroom contemporary home that was built in 1980 and features walls of … OWN YOUR OWN PRIVATE ISLAND, 75 minutes from NYC off Idyllic CT coast! The inhabited islands bear a total of 81 houses: 14 islands have only one, one (Governor) has 14, one (Money) has 32, and the rest have between two and six. Formerly, they raced Cook 11s and Blue Jays. Buy all three for a combined $5.3 million. The first European to discover the islands was Adrian Block in 1614. Some of the houses cover a small island completely, while Money Island, 12 acres (49,000 m²) in size, bears an entire village of 32 houses, a church and post office buildings, concealed among tall trees. Amenities include city water, irrigation system, generator and propane. Nevertheless, some infrequent oak, maple, beech, and other trees do appear in scattered locations about the islands; from their locations they appear to have been deliberately planted by residents, or they are the descendants of such plantings. Jepson. Prior to telephones, islanders hung a red flag on the dock to request a ferry visit. The least expensive houses, on Money Island, are appraised at about $600,000. Belden Island has slightly more room with 1.04 acres and 2,038 square feet. 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