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For the past 30 years I have lived within sight of Gardiner's Island, NY on southeastern fork of Long Island. It is 6 miles long, 3 miles wide, 5.19 sq, miles, with 27 miles of coastline. It is the oldest English settlement in NY, settled by the Gardiner family from the CT colony in 1639. It has been in their hands ever since. The Gardiner's sided with the patriots during the American Revolution so the British occupied it. A chapter of the Captain Kidd treasure story played out here. From Wiki:
A legend developed that Kidd warned that if the treasure was not there when he returned he would kill the Gardiners, though trial testimony given by John Gardiner on July 17, 1699, makes no mention of any threats, and Kidd's conduct appears to have been quite civil. Kidd was tried in Boston, and Gardiner was ordered by Governor Bellomont to deliver the treasure as evidence. The booty included gold dust, bars of silver, Spanish dollars, rubies, diamonds, candlesticks, and porringers. Gardiner kept one of the diamonds which he later gave to his daughter. A plaque on the island marks the spot where the treasure was buried."
The island is strictly off limits and weekly trespass warnings have been printed in the local paper for many years. Sometimes clammers, fishermen, and otherwise unauthorized visitors are caught and sent their way. In 2001, I was fortunate to be invited to attend the 90th birthday party for Robert David Lion Gardiner on the island. He was the last surviving heir in the Gardiner family line, the so-called "16th Lord of the Manor." That was a wonderful experience in many ways. It was interesting to sit on the manor lawn and look back at my home rather than my typical view of seeing his island. At his bparty I got to drive his old open back Landrover with him in the passenger seat as we drove around the island sightseeing. He spoke into a corded mic that was piped to a rear-facing bullhorn for the back plank seats with select visitors. At the manor I got the house tour and we dined on the front lawn. He told stories and tales of his family's history. Pirate stories. Later I hiked around the northern end of the island in the oldest oak forest I have ever seen out here. I cherish my experiences and photos of the event. He ironically died on my birthay a few years later in 2004.
Attached you will see a piece of gold cloth fragment from the Kidd treasure that resides in our local library collection. I attached an aerial photo of the island with an arrow showing the spot and direction I captured the following photo, then a picture of the island as I see it from where I live. I made this photo by stitching together several images. The small white dot in the center is the old windmill close to the Manor House. The last photo is one of my shots looking over towards Gardiner's island from the bay I live on, showing the mystique of a passing spring shower. No, I cannot detect there nor would I ever try. But it is wonderful to be immersed in colonial history.
Captain Kidd
"Privateer William Kidd stopped at the island in June 1699 while sailing to Boston to answer charges of piracy. With the permission of the island's proprietor, he buried a chest, a box of gold, and two boxes of silver in a ravine between Bostwick's Point and the Manor House. Indicating to Mrs. Gardiner that the box of gold was intended for the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Lord Bellomont, Kidd gave Mrs. Gardiner a length of gold cloth, captured from a Moorish ship off the coast of India, and a sack of sugar in thanks for her hospitality.A legend developed that Kidd warned that if the treasure was not there when he returned he would kill the Gardiners, though trial testimony given by John Gardiner on July 17, 1699, makes no mention of any threats, and Kidd's conduct appears to have been quite civil. Kidd was tried in Boston, and Gardiner was ordered by Governor Bellomont to deliver the treasure as evidence. The booty included gold dust, bars of silver, Spanish dollars, rubies, diamonds, candlesticks, and porringers. Gardiner kept one of the diamonds which he later gave to his daughter. A plaque on the island marks the spot where the treasure was buried."
The island is strictly off limits and weekly trespass warnings have been printed in the local paper for many years. Sometimes clammers, fishermen, and otherwise unauthorized visitors are caught and sent their way. In 2001, I was fortunate to be invited to attend the 90th birthday party for Robert David Lion Gardiner on the island. He was the last surviving heir in the Gardiner family line, the so-called "16th Lord of the Manor." That was a wonderful experience in many ways. It was interesting to sit on the manor lawn and look back at my home rather than my typical view of seeing his island. At his bparty I got to drive his old open back Landrover with him in the passenger seat as we drove around the island sightseeing. He spoke into a corded mic that was piped to a rear-facing bullhorn for the back plank seats with select visitors. At the manor I got the house tour and we dined on the front lawn. He told stories and tales of his family's history. Pirate stories. Later I hiked around the northern end of the island in the oldest oak forest I have ever seen out here. I cherish my experiences and photos of the event. He ironically died on my birthay a few years later in 2004.
Attached you will see a piece of gold cloth fragment from the Kidd treasure that resides in our local library collection. I attached an aerial photo of the island with an arrow showing the spot and direction I captured the following photo, then a picture of the island as I see it from where I live. I made this photo by stitching together several images. The small white dot in the center is the old windmill close to the Manor House. The last photo is one of my shots looking over towards Gardiner's island from the bay I live on, showing the mystique of a passing spring shower. No, I cannot detect there nor would I ever try. But it is wonderful to be immersed in colonial history.
