The Often Dark History of Massachusetts’ Penikese Island

Penikese Island, part of the Elizabeth Island chain off the SouthCoast of Massachusetts, has a storied history.

Heaven on Earth to some, Penikese Island was a living hell to others.

The 13-island Elizabeth Island chain is at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay, north of Martha's Vineyard. Penikese is near the western end of the island chain, north of Cuttyhunk. The island is some 13 miles south of New Bedford "as the crow flies."

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Like New Bedford, Penikese Island was "discovered" around 1602 by English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold. Wampanoag Indians had already found Penikese.

There are no permanent residents on Penikese Island, but there is a school, the Penikese Island School.

The school's website says, "The overarching goal of our educational programming is to get students out into nature. We hope to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards who will value, cherish, and protect the natural world."

Penikese Island is a wildlife sanctuary "that belongs to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is managed by Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife."

In 1893, Louis Agazzis opened a school for natural history on Penikese Island. Agazzis died soon after. In 1895, the school building was destroyed by fire.

In 1904, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts purchased the island for a reported $25,000 and opened the Penikese Island Leper Hospital for patients with leprosy. The "leper colony" closed after 16 years.

A residential school for troubled boys operated on the island from 1973 to 2011.

The Vineyard Gazette says, "Botanical surveys are regularly still taking place on Penikese, making its flora some of the most richly documented along the east coast."