- Pea Patch Island
Pea Patch Island is a small
island , approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) long, in theU.S. state ofDelaware , located in the mid channel of theDelaware River near its entrance intoDelaware Bay . It is a low, marshy island, located in New Castle County, facing Delaware City on the Delaware shore, andFinns Point on theNew Jersey shore. Once the location of strategic military defenses, the island is currently owned by the State of Delaware asFort Delaware State Park .The island emerged as a mud bank in the river in the 18th century. According to folklore, the island received its name after a ship full of
pea s ran aground on it, spilling its contents and leading to a growth of the plant on the island. In the 1790s,Pierre L'Enfant suggested the use of the island as part of the defenses ofNew Castle, Delaware and Philadelphia. By 1814, the island had grown sufficiently large for the construction ofFort Delaware . The original wood structure was replaced by the current brick and concrete one in 1859. During theAmerican Civil War , Fort Delaware was used by the Union as a camp for Confederate prisoners, in particular ones captured at the 1863Battle of Gettysburg . Many of the prisoners who died at the fort are buried at nearbyFinns Point National Cemetery in New Jersey. In the early 20th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged a channel around the island, using the infill to double the island's size on its northern end.The island is publicly accessible by
ferry from both the Delaware and New Jersey banks. In addition to the historic features of thestate park , the island provides a significantwetland s stop for migratory birds. It is the location of the largest colony ofheron s in the U.S. north ofFlorida .ee also
*
Reedy Island External links
* [http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/Soil/dcmp/ppi.htm Pea Patch Island]
* [http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/980910/saving_pea_patch_island.htm Saving Pea Patch Island]
* [http://civilwarstudies.org/OnlinePrograms/Thumbnails/fortdelaware/start.htm Fort Delaware and Pea Patch Island]
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