Shooters Island

Shooters Island is a 43acre uninhabited island at the southern end of Newark Bay, along the north shore of Staten Island. The boundary between the states of New York and New Jersey runs through the island, with a small portion on the north end of the island belonging to the cities of Bayonne and Elizabeth in New Jersey and the rest being part of the borough of Staten Island in New York City.Early historyIn colonial times Shooters Island was used as a hunting preserve. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington used the island as a drop-off point for messages, and the place became a haven for spies.ShipyardFrom about 1900 until 1910, the island was home to a major shipyard, the Townsend-Downey Shipbuilding Company.Theodore E. Ferris, who later designed the eponymous ships used by the American government in World War I, was an employee of the firm. Around this time it was also home to the Standard Shipbuilding Company (1918). The entire island was occupied by buildings, including a foundry, pattern shop, and offices. There were major docks and shipways that faced to the east. Contrary to a previous report, President Theodore Roosevelt did not go hunting on this industrial island.