The 172 acre island was not always that “large,” as the Continental Army troops raised defensive works on the island in 1776, which means some 103 acres of landfill was added to the island by 1912, making the island its current size!
The Native Americans of the Manhattan region referred to the island as Paggank (“nut island”), likely after the island’s plentiful hickory, oak, and chestnut trees, but it’s current name was established in 1784 and stems from the British colonial era when the island was reserved for the exclusive use of New York’s royal governors
Today the island is mainly used as a summertime island to escape to, where New Yorkers enjoy anything from little league to adult sports, as well as festivals, parties and picnics.
