The Island LbNA #15448 (ARCHIVED)
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | May 28, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Westport |
| County: | Bristol |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | beachcombers  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | The Four Cs |
| Last found: | Apr 25, 2014 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFaFFFFFr |
| Last edited: | May 28, 2005 |
Re-planted on 5/20/2006
The Island letterbox is hidden on Gooseberry Neck a part of the Horseneck Beach State Reservation.
This is our first letterbox planted. Gooseberry Island was chosen because of the many happy hours our families have spent vacationing here since my childhood. I began researching the area and found much history:
Capt Standish and William Bradford bought this land in 1652 from the Wampanoag Indians. They were paid thirty yards of cloth, eight moose skins, fifteen axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breaches, eight blankets, two kittles, one cloak, 2L in wampum, eight pairs of stockings, eight pairs of shoes and one iron pot.
From 1866 through 1954 lightships guarded the reef of the coast of the island, known as Hens and Chickens. Lightships in effect, are floating lighthouses. An unarmed crew who endured months of boredom and danger manned the ship. Dangers included stormy weather and being rammed by other ships traveling in the area. All this while keeping the lights burning and the foghorn blowing. The Hens and Chickens lightship was replaced by bouyage.
The 40’ tower you see here was used during WWII as a lookout for enemy submarines. The army had established a small community of fire control installations here, which included two cottage structures, a tower and a fire control switchboard. All this supported coastal batteries in the defenses of Narragansett Bay and New Bedford. The tower then disguised as a lighthouse acts now as an unofficial landmark for mariners.
DIRECTIONS TO GOOSEBERRY ISLAND:
Rout 195 to Route 88 South – Follow Rte 88 South 11 miles. Rte 88 Ends, but continue on to the end of this road and go right onto East Beach Road – Go over the causeway and onto the island where you can park. Parking is free - 6 AM TO 8 PM.
THE BOX: Our first hand-carved stamp!
You can reach the box in any variety of ways. Explore and find your own way to the tower or:
1. You can follow the trail from the parking lot that seems to cut the island in half straight up to the tower. This route should only take 10 minuits or so to walk.
2. Or, you can do like we do – take your time and walk around the island on the beach - from the island head there are paths up to the tower. Bring lunch, bring kids, pick up shells, swim if it is warm and then...find your letterbox.
Once you have reached the tallest tower: Standing with your back to the door of the tower you will see a cleared area straight ahead of you. Walk into the clearing and on your right is a sandy/possibly overgrown path. Follow it until you reach a foundation wall. Step up – check out the great view! You are standing on top of an old bunker. The box used to be here. Since it went missing from this area we have moved it, but this is such a great view of the area. Now, go back to the tallest tower. As you stand facing the door of the tower and looking right take the first path toward the beach. (Not the 2nd path toward the smaller tower) While walking down this path you will notice a large boulder on the right. From this boulder continue walking approximately 25 steps. Looking to your right again you should see a conglomerate of cement and rock about 7 - 10 steps into the grassy area. The box is here now - under the largest cement/rock conglomerate. You are out in the open here - you will have to be careful finding and re-hiding. Have fun!
The Island letterbox is hidden on Gooseberry Neck a part of the Horseneck Beach State Reservation.
This is our first letterbox planted. Gooseberry Island was chosen because of the many happy hours our families have spent vacationing here since my childhood. I began researching the area and found much history:
Capt Standish and William Bradford bought this land in 1652 from the Wampanoag Indians. They were paid thirty yards of cloth, eight moose skins, fifteen axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breaches, eight blankets, two kittles, one cloak, 2L in wampum, eight pairs of stockings, eight pairs of shoes and one iron pot.
From 1866 through 1954 lightships guarded the reef of the coast of the island, known as Hens and Chickens. Lightships in effect, are floating lighthouses. An unarmed crew who endured months of boredom and danger manned the ship. Dangers included stormy weather and being rammed by other ships traveling in the area. All this while keeping the lights burning and the foghorn blowing. The Hens and Chickens lightship was replaced by bouyage.
The 40’ tower you see here was used during WWII as a lookout for enemy submarines. The army had established a small community of fire control installations here, which included two cottage structures, a tower and a fire control switchboard. All this supported coastal batteries in the defenses of Narragansett Bay and New Bedford. The tower then disguised as a lighthouse acts now as an unofficial landmark for mariners.
DIRECTIONS TO GOOSEBERRY ISLAND:
Rout 195 to Route 88 South – Follow Rte 88 South 11 miles. Rte 88 Ends, but continue on to the end of this road and go right onto East Beach Road – Go over the causeway and onto the island where you can park. Parking is free - 6 AM TO 8 PM.
THE BOX: Our first hand-carved stamp!
You can reach the box in any variety of ways. Explore and find your own way to the tower or:
1. You can follow the trail from the parking lot that seems to cut the island in half straight up to the tower. This route should only take 10 minuits or so to walk.
2. Or, you can do like we do – take your time and walk around the island on the beach - from the island head there are paths up to the tower. Bring lunch, bring kids, pick up shells, swim if it is warm and then...find your letterbox.
Once you have reached the tallest tower: Standing with your back to the door of the tower you will see a cleared area straight ahead of you. Walk into the clearing and on your right is a sandy/possibly overgrown path. Follow it until you reach a foundation wall. Step up – check out the great view! You are standing on top of an old bunker. The box used to be here. Since it went missing from this area we have moved it, but this is such a great view of the area. Now, go back to the tallest tower. As you stand facing the door of the tower and looking right take the first path toward the beach. (Not the 2nd path toward the smaller tower) While walking down this path you will notice a large boulder on the right. From this boulder continue walking approximately 25 steps. Looking to your right again you should see a conglomerate of cement and rock about 7 - 10 steps into the grassy area. The box is here now - under the largest cement/rock conglomerate. You are out in the open here - you will have to be careful finding and re-hiding. Have fun!