Milford’s coastal landmark, Charles Island, is a small, distinct island located amid the crashing waves of the Long Island Sound — a place many locals consider an important historical landmark in the city’s timeline. But few residents are familiar with the full history (some factual, some conjecture, some plain fun) surrounding this quintessential Milford mainstay.
The story of Charles Island begins with the purchase of the island from English settlers in the mid-seventeenth century, led by Charles Deal, who subsequently named the island after himself once the purchase had been finalized. To many outsiders, the story seems simple enough — but in addition to Deal’s acquisition of the island, another notable figure has left his mark on the area in a very different way.
Born in Scotland, William Kidd established himself as a well-respected and well-regarded sailor among his peers, and soon set out on an expedition to attack pirates and anyone working for the French on their respective ships — a mission that Kidd was named captain of. As Kidd continued his journey throughout the Atlantic Ocean, attitudes toward piracy had shifted, and the profession had fallen deeply out of favor. A constant state of tension and near-mutiny ran through the air among Kidd’s crew. The stress finally came to a head in 1699, when Kidd was arrested for piracy in connection with a British East India Company ship on May 23, 1701. Kidd’s importance to our story, however, is best understood through the alleged treasure he is said to have buried somewhere along the Long Island Sound before being caught for his crimes in Boston, Massachusetts. The treasure is said to have contained — though not been limited to — silver European coinage and gold bars, among other valuables Kidd had hidden away on his path to Boston.
So where does Charles Island enter the story? Simply put, the legend of Kidd’s buried treasure is inextricably tied to Charles Island, as there is a strong and longstanding belief that the treasure’s whereabouts are located on the island itself — which Kidd allegedly cursed in order to ward off treasure hunters. The force of that curse is easy to believe when you look at the history: attempts to inhabit the island have repeatedly ended in failure and abandonment, including the collapse of a Dominican friars’ retreat as far back as the 1930s. Charles Island’s pirate past has largely faded from popular memory since the state purchased the island in 1960 and folded it into Silver Sands State Park, steering the island into its next chapter — a bird sanctuary, a fitting transition from a storied, spooky island to a peaceful haven for our feathered friends.
And who doesn’t love birds? These lovable creatures, designed to live among the skies, have flocked to Charles Island to repopulate and thrive in community with one another, making the island a central habitat for several species. The most common among them include American Oystercatchers, seagulls, and herons, which frequent the area throughout the year. During the summer months — specifically from May 1 through August 31 — the island is closed to the public entirely in order to protect the birds’ nesting ecosystem. For visitors who do make the trip outside those months, the island is accessible via a sandbar, more technically known as a tombolo. The sandbar can only be crossed at low tide, and visitors should always remain cautious and aware: there is a well-documented history of people being caught off guard when the incoming tide submerges the crossing. Who knows — maybe the island really is cursed by Captain Kidd after all. At approximately 14 acres and roughly half a mile from the Connecticut mainland, it’s also more of a walk than it appears from the shore. The surrounding waters, meanwhile, are excellent for fishing, with bluefish, flounder, and sand sharks all circling the island — a draw for anyone who enjoys the hobby.
For more personal insight into what Charles Island means to those who knew it up close, former Milford resident Claudia Kiely, 78, shared her experience visiting the island in the late 1980s. After marrying her husband Ken, the two would frequently take their small boat out to the island, where they would fish, admire the plants and wildlife, and swim in the surrounding waters. “Charles Island, even now, is still beautiful,” she recalls, “but as you can imagine in the 1980s, there was a lot more natural greenery on the island. I think what makes the island so beautiful today, though, is its haunting presence — it feels very mysterious.”
Overall, the mystique of the curse, combined with the remarkable life that can be found on Charles Island, makes it a perennial must-see attraction when visiting Milford. There is nothing quite like the island at dusk in the autumn, when Captain Kidd’s curse seems to whisper through the cool, foggy air — or the contrast of visiting in spring and early summer, when the sandbar invites you to walk toward it across the water. Make sure to carve out time for a trip to Charles Island the next time you’re in Milford, and keep your eyes open while you’re there. Maybe the treasure has been right in front of you all along.
"[The island] is still beautiful. I think what makes the island so beautiful today, though, is its haunting presence — it feels very mysterious.”