Thrice cursed Charles Island now a sanctuary
Kendra Wingate
FacebookTwitterEmail
Charles Island, a 14-acre island located approximately 0.5 miles off the coast of Milford, boasts a long and storied past. The unassuming island is steeped in decades of history, is said to be “thrice cursed,” and is a now cherished state resource for native wildlife.
The first curse was said to have been laid upon the land by a Paugusset chief in 1639 when he lost the land, which he believed to be home to the sacred spirits, to European settlers. Resulting in ill will, he cursed the island, any structure that was erected on the island and anyone who tried to live there. The second was laid on the island in 1699 by Scottish pirate and notorious high sea robber Captain William Kidd, who was lured into a trap on the island leading to his trial and execution, but not before he buried treasure. He, like any good pirate, cursed the island, believing if you curse the land, you’ll scare off any would