Why is it called Rattlesnake Island?

sawyers_point_girl · 03-02-2006, 03:58 PM

I always thought it was because of the shape too! But hey, what do I know?? Learn something new every day!

CHSLTD · 03-02-2006, 06:35 PM

All the different stories are very interesting. Makes for great reading!

carguy · 08-16-2006, 01:24 PM

I remember seeing some "stuffed" Rattlesnakes at the Libby Museum in Tuftonboro that were supposingly caught on Rattlesnake Island. I also heard the stories of the island being set afire to get rid of the snakes.

Speaking of Lumbering Operations, I recall seeing photographs where portions of the island were denuded of trees due to the lumbering operations on the island. I also read that the island was used for sheep grazing when there were meadows on the island. Looking at the island now it is hard to believe that there were once meadows on the island.

In the mid 1950's myself and a group of fellow teenagers camped overnite on the island on a few occasions. In the early 1950's I don't recall there being any structures on the island. I remember when the Wolfeboro Real Estate Broker, J.I. Melanson, had the island surveyed and divided into lots. The lot numbers were nailed to the trees at the water's edge.

On my first camping experience on Rattlesnake Island in the early 1950's a group of us from Lake Shore Park motored over to the island in our flat bottom Dory boats with a small outboard motor. We pulled the boats up on a flat rock ledge just opposite Ames Farm. I didn't sleep a wink that night because I thought the chattering of insects were noises coming from the Rattlesnakes.

A couple of years later in the late 1950's on another camping excursion we docked our boats in the cove on the NW side of the point where it meets the main part of the island. Previous hikers had marked a trail to the summit of the island. We camped overnite on the island at the summit with a rock ledge being the backdrop for our campfire. Boy what a view of the lake from up there. I believe the elevation is around 900' at the summit. Shorly thereafter the island was developed and that put an end to our camping excursions on Rattlesnake Island.

Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's there was a measured mile with markers on the northwest coast of the island. We use to check out the speed of our boats on the measued mile. Not having been on the Lake in a boat since the late 1990's, I do not know if that measured mile still exists.

Finally, I nerver ran into any Rattlesnakes on the Island. If I had, I probably wouldn't have been here to write this posting, having died of a heart attack upon sighting the snake.

MJM · 08-17-2006, 01:28 PM

I have heard there is a public hiking trail on the island.

True?

Where do you anchor & enter?

Island Girl · 08-17-2006, 01:37 PM

Rattlesnake Island, like most Winnipesaukee islands, is private.

MJM · 09-03-2006, 06:04 PM

Isn't there a LRCT dock and a trail for hiking?

Pepper · 09-03-2006, 10:22 PM

MJM, not all of the LRCT holdings are open to the public. Click here for a list of those that are open and accessible to the public: http://www.lrct.org/public-access.html

The acreage on Rattlesnake Island is not on the list of publicly accessible areas. The remainder of Rattlesnake Island is held by private landowners, and therefore the entire island is private. Docking at any dock on that island would be considered tresspassing, I'm sure.

For a nice island hike on LRCT land, try Stonedam Island!

MJM · 09-04-2006, 10:08 AM

Thanks for the clarification, Pepper.

One more question: Is the dock/trail open to LRCT members?

We did Stonedam in July, and found it to be absolutely fantastic. That's what got us looking for other places, especially any closer to us in Wolfeboro. And it got us to contribute to the LRCT.

We had several friends/family mention Rattlesnake, and I do know there is some sort of LRCT dock there, but no one seemed 100% sure what the actual status is.

Pepper · 09-04-2006, 10:29 AM

MJM - I think that question is best posed to the LRCT. My guess is the answer is no, but I'm sure someone at the Trust could answer all your questions, and offer explanations. Judging by the size of the holding, versus the size of the island, I would imagine the gift was for the purpose of maintaining the parcel for wildlife conservation, not for public access.

Contact the Trust and let us know what you find out.

MJM · 09-18-2006, 08:26 AM

I checked out the dock sign in person yesterday, and now understand the differentiation:
It is not open to the general public (as Stonedam Island is, for example), but it is open to LRCT members.

What a gorgeous weekend!

03-02-2006, 06:35 PM	#2
CHSLTD Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gilford Posts: 93 Thanks: 23 Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Intersting... All the different stories are very interesting. Makes for great reading!

08-16-2006, 01:24 PM	#3
carguy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Norwich, CT Posts: 199 Thanks: 4 Thanked 14 Times in 8 Posts	Rattlesnakes on Rattlesnake Island I remember seeing some "stuffed" Rattlesnakes at the Libby Museum in Tuftonboro that were supposingly caught on Rattlesnake Island. I also heard the stories of the island being set afire to get rid of the snakes. Speaking of Lumbering Operations, I recall seeing photographs where portions of the island were denuded of trees due to the lumbering operations on the island. I also read that the island was used for sheep grazing when there were meadows on the island. Looking at the island now it is hard to believe that there were once meadows on the island. In the mid 1950's myself and a group of fellow teenagers camped overnite on the island on a few occasions. In the early 1950's I don't recall there being any structures on the island. I remember when the Wolfeboro Real Estate Broker, J.I. Melanson, had the island surveyed and divided into lots. The lot numbers were nailed to the trees at the water's edge. On my first camping experience on Rattlesnake Island in the early 1950's a group of us from Lake Shore Park motored over to the island in our flat bottom Dory boats with a small outboard motor. We pulled the boats up on a flat rock ledge just opposite Ames Farm. I didn't sleep a wink that night because I thought the chattering of insects were noises coming from the Rattlesnakes. A couple of years later in the late 1950's on another camping excursion we docked our boats in the cove on the NW side of the point where it meets the main part of the island. Previous hikers had marked a trail to the summit of the island. We camped overnite on the island at the summit with a rock ledge being the backdrop for our campfire. Boy what a view of the lake from up there. I believe the elevation is around 900' at the summit. Shorly thereafter the island was developed and that put an end to our camping excursions on Rattlesnake Island. Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's there was a measured mile with markers on the northwest coast of the island. We use to check out the speed of our boats on the measued mile. Not having been on the Lake in a boat since the late 1990's, I do not know if that measured mile still exists. Finally, I nerver ran into any Rattlesnakes on the Island. If I had, I probably wouldn't have been here to write this posting, having died of a heart attack upon sighting the snake. __________________ Best Regards, Carguy Norwich, CT 06360

08-17-2006, 01:28 PM	#4
MJM Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 23 Times in 11 Posts	Public Access? I have heard there is a public hiking trail on the island. True? Where do you anchor & enter?

08-17-2006, 01:37 PM	#5
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	No Public Access or Hiking on Rattlesnake Rattlesnake Island, like most Winnipesaukee islands, is private. __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

09-03-2006, 10:22 PM	#7
Pepper Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Laconia, NH Posts: 1,284 Thanks: 409 Thanked 155 Times in 40 Posts	MJM, not all of the LRCT holdings are open to the public. Click here for a list of those that are open and accessible to the public: http://www.lrct.org/public-access.html The acreage on Rattlesnake Island is not on the list of publicly accessible areas. The remainder of Rattlesnake Island is held by private landowners, and therefore the entire island is private. Docking at any dock on that island would be considered tresspassing, I'm sure. For a nice island hike on LRCT land, try Stonedam Island! __________________ Never waste time lamenting what was. Simply celebrate what is!

03-02-2006, 03:58 PM	#1
sawyers_point_girl Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sawyer Point/Tuftonboro, Bedford/Weymouth, MA Posts: 41 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I always thought it was because of the shape too! But hey, what do I know?? Learn something new every day!

09-03-2006, 06:04 PM	#6
MJM Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 23 Times in 11 Posts	Isn't there a LRCT dock and a trail for hiking?

09-04-2006, 10:08 AM	#8
MJM Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 23 Times in 11 Posts	Thanks for the clarification, Pepper. One more question: Is the dock/trail open to LRCT members? We did Stonedam in July, and found it to be absolutely fantastic. That's what got us looking for other places, especially any closer to us in Wolfeboro. And it got us to contribute to the LRCT. We had several friends/family mention Rattlesnake, and I do know there is some sort of LRCT dock there, but no one seemed 100% sure what the actual status is.

09-04-2006, 10:29 AM	#9
Pepper Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Laconia, NH Posts: 1,284 Thanks: 409 Thanked 155 Times in 40 Posts	MJM - I think that question is best posed to the LRCT. My guess is the answer is no, but I'm sure someone at the Trust could answer all your questions, and offer explanations. Judging by the size of the holding, versus the size of the island, I would imagine the gift was for the purpose of maintaining the parcel for wildlife conservation, not for public access. Contact the Trust and let us know what you find out. __________________ Never waste time lamenting what was. Simply celebrate what is!

09-18-2006, 08:26 AM	#10
MJM Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 262 Thanks: 0 Thanked 23 Times in 11 Posts	I checked out the dock sign in person yesterday, and now understand the differentiation: It is not open to the general public (as Stonedam Island is, for example), but it is open to LRCT members. What a gorgeous weekend!