Croil Island
{{Short description|Island in New York, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Croil Island
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| native_name_lang =
| image_name =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| image_alt =
| map = New York
| map_alt =
| map_width = 250px
| map_caption = Location of Croil Island in New York State
| map_relief =
| label =
| label_position = left
| coordinates = {{coord|44.973|-74.979|type:isle_region:US-NY|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| etymology =
| location = St. Lawrence River
| waterbody =
| area_acre = 796
| length_mi =
| length_footnotes =
| width_mi =
| width_footnotes =
| coastline_mi =
| coastline_footnotes =
| elevation_ft = 299
| elevation_footnotes =
| country = United States
| country_admin_divisions_title = State
| country_admin_divisions = New York
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = County
| country_admin_divisions_1 = St. Lawrence
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Town
| country_admin_divisions_2 = Louisville
| website =
| additional_info =
}}
Croil Island is a {{convert|796|acre|km2|adj=on}} uninhabited island on the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Louisville in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States.{{cite GNIS|976205|Croil Island|September 11, 2015}} The island is currently occupied by the undeveloped Croil Island State Park.
History
The island was considered British territory prior to 1818, at which time ownership was officially transferred to the United States.{{cite book|editor1-last=Curtis|editor1-first=Gates|title=Our County and its People - A Memorial Record of St. Lawrence County, New York|date=1894|publisher=The Boston History Company|page=537|chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/ourcountyitspeop00curt#page/536/mode/2up|access-date=September 12, 2015|chapter=History Of Louisville, NY}}
Croil Island is named for a Scottish family that farmed upon the island in the mid-1800s. Prior to the purchase of the island in 1835 by William Croil, the island was known as Stacey Island.{{cite web |url=http://lostvillages.ca/history/the-lost-villages/farrans-point/ |title=Farran's Point |website=The Lost Villages Historical Society |access-date=September 11, 2015}}
A land claim brought by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in the early 1980s sought to reclaim Croil Island and additional lands in northern New York. A 2013 ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York dismissed the tribe's claim to the island, but upheld some of their claims elsewhere.{{cite web |url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20130710/NEWS05/707109838 |title=Mohawks react to land claim ruling |newspaper=Watertown Daily Times |date=July 10, 2013 |author=Beckstead, Bob |access-date=September 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713080038/http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20130710/NEWS05/707109838 |archive-date=July 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
Croil Island has been alternately known as Baxter Island, Grand Eddy Island, Ile au Chamailles, Stacey Island, Tsiiowenokwakarate, and Upper Sault Island. The island has historically been home to several large farms, but no concentrated settlements.
Croil Island State Park
Croil Island today hosts Croil Island State Park, an undeveloped state park maintained by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and owned by the New York Power Authority.{{cite web |url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110329/DCO01/303299905/ |title=Croil Island Signs Reflect Existing Rules Says State |newspaper=Watertown Daily Times |date=March 29, 2011 |author=Hayden, Brian |access-date=September 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305000601/http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110329/DCO01/303299905/ |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead }} The island is popular with outdoor enthusiasts, although problems with littering and illegal camping led to warning signs being posted on the island in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20120426/DCO01/704269868/ |title=Croil Island focus of Local Government Task Force meeting |newspaper=Watertown Daily Times |date=April 26, 2012 |author=Fairchild, Benny |access-date=September 12, 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Protected areas of New York}}
{{authority control}}
Category:River islands of New York (state)
Category:Islands of New York (state)
Category:Uninhabited islands of New York (state)
Category:State parks of New York (state)
Category:Parks in St. Lawrence County, New York