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Abandoned NYC Island Boasts History of Geese, Spies & Ships

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Abandoned hospitals on an island? Check. Abandoned islands, period? Check. Aaaand double check. And now, thanks to Untapped Cities, there's at least one more isle to add to the list: Shooter's Island, which lies off the coast of Staten Island between Newark Bay and the Kill Van Kull. In colonial days, folks used to hunt wild geese there, but then its remoteness and isolation proved too alluring for Revolutionary-era spies and their covert messages. The war long over, industry roared in, and Shooter's Island became home to shipbuilders and an oil refinery.

Sadly, after World War I, according to Untapped, "the island become a polluted junk yard for ships." And now it just looks like a junkyard. Though New York and New Jersey officially share ownership, jurisdiction is in the hands of the city's parks department, and it's mostly frequented by bird researchers. Kayaking destination for the summer, anyone?

· The Abandoned Shooter's Island off Staten Island with a Revolutionary Spy Ring History [Untapped]
· Abandoned NY Island Has Lighthouse, B&B + Ghostly Rumors [Curbed]