what's there
Slate and shell beaches and open fields provide a relaxed atmosphere. Trails lined with wild flowers lead visitors to the remains of a stone farmhouse and a children's hospital.
The 30-acre Bumpkin (62 acres including intertidal areas) also features picnic areas, camping sites, walking tours, as well as plenty of native berries. To visit Bumpkin Island go to Travel by Ferry.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Bumpkin Island is open from 9:00 am until sunset. Daily ferry service begins May 23, 2009. During the spring and fall, visitor services are offered during weekends. Special arrangements for school groups are possible for weekdays in spring, summer and fall.
short historyBumpkin, like many other islands, was used by Native American Indians prior to European contact. During the colonial period, the island was leased to tenant farmers. The island hosted a fish-drying operation in the early nineteenth century and a fish smelting operation in the early twentieth century.
In 1900, a Boston philanthropist named Albert Burrage founded a hospital for children with physical disabilities. During World War I the island was used as a United States naval training center, which was dismantled after the war. The hospital reopened briefly in about 1940 for polio patients but closed during World War II and burned in 1945.
managing agencyThis island of Boston Harbor Islands national park area is managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
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