Chimney Sweeps Islands
Encyclopedia
The Chimney Sweeps Islands are a pair of small island
s located within New York City
in the northern part of City Island Harbor
in the borough
of The Bronx
. The islands, along with High Island, New York
, divide City Island Harbor from Pelham Bay
. The islands are entirely made out of bedrock
. The islands are uninhabited, but are home to many birds, such as gull
s, skua
s, and great blue heron
s. The islands are owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
and are a part of Pelham Bay Park
.
There are two local legends about the origin of the islands' name. One is that from a distance the two islands look like Chimney Sweeps, which were brooms or tools used to clean and sweep out chimneys. Another story is that a man who became rich sweeping chimneys bought and owned the islands.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s located within New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the northern part of City Island Harbor
City Island Harbor
City Island Harbor is the protected body of water between City Island and Hart Island in New York, open to Long Island Sound at its northern and southern extremities. It is not a true harbor, but a Sound. Other minor islands in and around City Island Harbor include the Chimney Sweeps, The Blauzes,...
in the borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. The islands, along with High Island, New York
High Island, New York
High Island is a small private island, part of The Pelham Islands group in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It lies east of the north end of City Island between City Island Harbor and Pelham Bay in Long Island Sound. It is an island at most times, but is connected to City Island by a sandbar...
, divide City Island Harbor from Pelham Bay
Pelham Bay
Pelham Bay is a small bay, between City Island and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, New York.Technically, it is a sound, not a bay, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. It connects to Eastchester Bay at the south, and opens onto Long Island Sound and City Island Harbor at the...
. The islands are entirely made out of bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
. The islands are uninhabited, but are home to many birds, such as gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s, skua
Skua
The skuas are a group of seabirds with about seven species forming the family Stercorariidae and the genus Stercorarius. The three smaller skuas are called jaegers in North America....
s, and great blue heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s. The islands are owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
and are a part of Pelham Bay Park
Pelham Bay Park
Pelham Bay Park, located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough of The Bronx and extending partially into Westchester County, is at the largest public park in New York City. The section of the park within New York City's borders is more than three times the size of Manhattan's...
.
There are two local legends about the origin of the islands' name. One is that from a distance the two islands look like Chimney Sweeps, which were brooms or tools used to clean and sweep out chimneys. Another story is that a man who became rich sweeping chimneys bought and owned the islands.