Angelica Rock
41°34′48″N70°51′32″W/ 41.580°N 70.859°W
Angelica Rock,also known asAngelica Island,is a one-acre rockislandemerging fromBuzzards Bay,within the town limits ofFairhaven, Massachusetts.The rock is privately owned and is located southwest of Sconticut Neck and Wilbur's Point. The island is home to a number ofsea birdsas well as a collapsedwindmill.
Description, ecology, and nomenclature
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The one-acre[1]island has a rocky beach on its east side and a sandy beach on its north side.[2]The surface is a mixture of rock and sea grass.[1]Ribbed musselslive on the beach's rocks.[2]
The Town of Fairhaven refers to the island as "Angelica Island," while official nautical charts refer to it as "Angelica Rock."[1]
History and ownership
[edit]In the early 1970s, the island was purchased by Aris T. Papas, a clinical psychologist and professor who intended to build a summer home there. Papas and his son constructed the windmill by hauling materials via rowboat, and the windmill was functional until the blades were destroyed by a storm months later. However, the summer home plans were abandoned and a concrete slab from the project remains there today.[1]The windmill collapsed in the 2010s.[2]
A family member tried to sell the island in the mid 1990s for about $100,000, but had no buyers. The island has been described as a local landmark and is a frequent subject for photographers. The property is still owned by the Papas family.[3][4]
References
[edit]- ^abcdBaron, M. L."Angelica Rock, once a peaceful retrieve, beset by storms Up for sale in the mid-1990s, it had no takers".New Bedford Standard-Times.Retrieved2022-07-13.
- ^abcMussel Watch Project Site Descriptions, Through 1997. (1997). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment, Coastal Monitoring and Bioeffects Assessment Division. p55
- ^M.L. Baron (May 13, 2014)."Angelica Island icon has collapsed".South Coast Today.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedJuly 13,2022.
- ^M.L. Baron and Gary Golas."The Story of Angelica Island".Westislandweather.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-05-30.Retrieved2011-05-30.