This Connecticut Resort Island Was Once A Popular Tourist Destination And Most People Don T Know About It

Fiji and Hawaii are more likely to come to mind when thinking about island resorts than Connecticut. But believe it or not, there is a little island off the coast that was once a hot spot for tourists. Let’s take a quick trip into the past and find out more about this Connecticut resort island that used to bustle with visitors.

Ram Island is a 20-acre island located just one mile off of the Connecticut coast. Once called Mystic Island, it was home to a hotel resort during the Victorian Era.

Connecticut Offices Of Culture And Tourism

The island is located just one mile offshore and is accessible only by boat.

Wikimedia Commons/Alborzagros

Steamships from Boston and New York would stop at the island twice a day, transporting visitors to and from the island.

Wikimedia Commons/Fred Pansing

The Mystic Island Hotel had many guests over the years and once was even home to a world lightweight bare-knuckle boxing championship.

Connecticut Historical Society

The hotel fell into a state of disrepair by the 1920s, and was no longer the popular destination it once was.

Google Maps

The hurricane of 1938 hit both the mainland and the island hard. The winds and water completely demolished the hotel resort.

Facebook/The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport

This little Connecticut resort island later housed a motel for transient boaters. But in 1978, it became a home to a farm and private residence.

Connecticut Offices Of Culture And Tourism

However in February 2013 and March 2014, tragedy struck again and fires engulfed both the barn and the island home, respectively and left the island vacant.

Connecticut Offices Of Culture And Tourism

Did you know that this Connecticut resort island was once a popular destination that attracted many visitors?

Connecticut Offices Of Culture And Tourism

Wikimedia Commons/Alborzagros

Wikimedia Commons/Fred Pansing

Connecticut Historical Society

Google Maps

Facebook/The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport

To explore a few more islands in the Nutmeg State, take a look at this tiny island community right off the shores of Branford.

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