Rattlesnake Island (Lake Erie)
Encyclopedia
Rattlesnake Island is an 85 acres (34.4 ha) island located on Lake Erie
near Put-In-Bay, 11 miles (17.7 km) northeast of Port Clinton, Ohio
. It is one of several islands known as the Lake Erie Islands
. The name Rattlesnake comes both from the actual Rattlesnakes that used to inhabit the island, as well as from the overall shape of the island (two small islets near the tip resemble a rattlesnake's rattle).
western reserve.
Put-in-Bay was a strategic location during the War of 1812
, when Oliver Hazard Perry
- Commodore of the United States fleet on Lake Erie - rendezvoused with General William Henry Harrison at Sandusky Bay, and following discussions concerning the upcoming campaign the commanders selected Put-in-Bay harbor for the American naval base. From this strategic location Perry was able to observe British fleet movements, and eventually engaged and defeated them. Perry's victory gave the Americans control of Lake Erie and a relative calm prevailed amongst the islands.
In 1854, Abigail Dunning of Hartford, Connecticut, sold Rattlesnake Island to Horace Kelley of Cleveland, Ohio. Soon thereafter, post offices were established on South Bass Island (1860), North Bass Island (1864), and Middle Bass Island (1864). Rattlesnake Island was largely uninhabited at the time and on June 22, 1861 Rattlesnake Island became a part of Put-In-Bay Township.
Rattlesnake Island then became a private island
that was re-sold in 1992 for $4.6 million. Frackelton and sixty-five other investors re-purchased the island in 1999.
Today, Rattlesnake Island is accessible only to the 65 members of the Rattlesnake Island Club. There are currently only about fifteen private and exclusive lots on the island. Sale of property
on the island is controlled by the island club.
Most of the members travel to the island to take advantage of the private facilities, including a bar, restaurant, large pool and hot-tub, health club, tennis courts, bocci courts, miniature golf, and much more. Inside the main building, underneath the bar, is a racquetball court, basketball court
, pool table, dart board, big screen television, a pinball machine, card table, and even a suit of armor. There are two landing strips for airplanes, which come and go often. These grass landing strips double as a small golf course. The pilot's lounge doubles as a pro-shop, with access to score cards and golf balls. Near the runway is a small cage containing peacocks. Members and guests on the island travel from one place to another on an electric golf cart. There are also seven hotel rooms which members can stay in for the night. Rattlesnake Island clothing can be purchased from a store located in a small shed adjacent the restaurant. In recent years, a second marina was added to the island.
The summer staff, mostly from Eastern Europe
, numbers around 25 and there are separate dorms for the men and women working there. There is also a year-round caretaker and chef
. The island's workers are trained to recognize each of the members and their families both by appearance and by the yacht
they come in on. Any non-members will immediately be turned away by armed security guards in one of the island's two boats before the intruders even have time to dock. Because of the secrecy behind the island, many rumors and myths have arisen, including a rumor that criminal organizations
use the island as a place to relax. With the tight security, the best place to view the island is atop the Perry Monument on Put-in-Bay.
In order to join the Island Club, one of the current members must quit, and the potential member must receive recommendations from at least two of the island's current members. The cost to join is estimated to be between $90,000 and $200,000 initially, as well as a monthly maintenance fee.
In September 2008 the Cleveland Scene Magazine did a follow-up article on this exclusive “country club” exposing the underside to this island retreat. The article indicated that the club isn’t as posh as some would like one to believe, rather it is a hotbed for seedy behavior and exploitation of its mainly Eastern European staff.
The reported population as of the 2000 census
was only 2 persons.
operating in the United States.
Service is provided by way of a Ford Trimotor
which shuttles mail between the island and the mainland. From 1966 to 1989, USPS mail was routed by way of Port Clinton, Ohio
. Today, outgoing mail from the island enters the USPS mail stream by way of Sandusky, Ohio
.
Local Post service began in 1966 and continued through 1989, when the island was sold and the new owners discontinued the service. It was re-started in 2005 and continues to the current day.
The stamps of Rattlesnake Island Local Post appear in the 2009 Edition of Phillips' Modern US & Canada Local Posts CD Catalog.
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
near Put-In-Bay, 11 miles (17.7 km) northeast of Port Clinton, Ohio
Port Clinton, Ohio
Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,056 at the 2010 census. The city has been nicknamed the "Walleye Capital of the World."...
. It is one of several islands known as the Lake Erie Islands
Lake Erie Islands
The Lake Erie Islands are a chain of archipelagic islands in Lake Erie. They include Kelleys Island, Pelee Island, the Bass Islands, and several others. The majority of these islands are under the sovereignty of Ohio in the United States. Pelee Island is the only major island administered by...
. The name Rattlesnake comes both from the actual Rattlesnakes that used to inhabit the island, as well as from the overall shape of the island (two small islets near the tip resemble a rattlesnake's rattle).
History
Legally, since colonial times, the Lake Erie Islands were part of the Firelands Section of the Connecticut Land Company'sConnecticut Land Company
The Connecticut Land Company was formed in the late eighteenth century to survey and encourage settlement in the Connecticut Western Reserve, part of the Old Northwest Territory. The Western Reserve is located in Northeast Ohio with its hub being Cleveland. In 1795, the Connecticut Land Company...
western reserve.
Put-in-Bay was a strategic location during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, when Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
- Commodore of the United States fleet on Lake Erie - rendezvoused with General William Henry Harrison at Sandusky Bay, and following discussions concerning the upcoming campaign the commanders selected Put-in-Bay harbor for the American naval base. From this strategic location Perry was able to observe British fleet movements, and eventually engaged and defeated them. Perry's victory gave the Americans control of Lake Erie and a relative calm prevailed amongst the islands.
In 1854, Abigail Dunning of Hartford, Connecticut, sold Rattlesnake Island to Horace Kelley of Cleveland, Ohio. Soon thereafter, post offices were established on South Bass Island (1860), North Bass Island (1864), and Middle Bass Island (1864). Rattlesnake Island was largely uninhabited at the time and on June 22, 1861 Rattlesnake Island became a part of Put-In-Bay Township.
Modern history
The modern history of Rattlesnake Island began with the purchase of the island about 1929 by Herbert Bennett, the owner of the Toledo Scale Company, who developed the island by putting in a lodge, harbor, and east-west landing strip. A second north-south landing strip was added in the 1950s by a Catholic order. In 1959, the island was sold to James P. Frackelton, M.D., a Cleveland surgeon and owner of the Cleveland Stamp and Coin Company, and Robert C. Schull, a stockbroker. Frackelton and Schull further developed the island, but economic and market conditions forced the sale of the island in 1989.Rattlesnake Island then became a private island
Private island
A private island is a disconnected body of land wholly owned by a single private citizen or corporation. Although this exclusivity gives the owner substantial control over the property, they still fall within the jurisdiction of national and sometimes local governments.-Ownership:There are many...
that was re-sold in 1992 for $4.6 million. Frackelton and sixty-five other investors re-purchased the island in 1999.
Today, Rattlesnake Island is accessible only to the 65 members of the Rattlesnake Island Club. There are currently only about fifteen private and exclusive lots on the island. Sale of property
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
on the island is controlled by the island club.
Most of the members travel to the island to take advantage of the private facilities, including a bar, restaurant, large pool and hot-tub, health club, tennis courts, bocci courts, miniature golf, and much more. Inside the main building, underneath the bar, is a racquetball court, basketball court
Basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished...
, pool table, dart board, big screen television, a pinball machine, card table, and even a suit of armor. There are two landing strips for airplanes, which come and go often. These grass landing strips double as a small golf course. The pilot's lounge doubles as a pro-shop, with access to score cards and golf balls. Near the runway is a small cage containing peacocks. Members and guests on the island travel from one place to another on an electric golf cart. There are also seven hotel rooms which members can stay in for the night. Rattlesnake Island clothing can be purchased from a store located in a small shed adjacent the restaurant. In recent years, a second marina was added to the island.
The summer staff, mostly from Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, numbers around 25 and there are separate dorms for the men and women working there. There is also a year-round caretaker and chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
. The island's workers are trained to recognize each of the members and their families both by appearance and by the yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
they come in on. Any non-members will immediately be turned away by armed security guards in one of the island's two boats before the intruders even have time to dock. Because of the secrecy behind the island, many rumors and myths have arisen, including a rumor that criminal organizations
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
use the island as a place to relax. With the tight security, the best place to view the island is atop the Perry Monument on Put-in-Bay.
In order to join the Island Club, one of the current members must quit, and the potential member must receive recommendations from at least two of the island's current members. The cost to join is estimated to be between $90,000 and $200,000 initially, as well as a monthly maintenance fee.
In September 2008 the Cleveland Scene Magazine did a follow-up article on this exclusive “country club” exposing the underside to this island retreat. The article indicated that the club isn’t as posh as some would like one to believe, rather it is a hotbed for seedy behavior and exploitation of its mainly Eastern European staff.
The reported population as of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
was only 2 persons.
Rattlesnake Island Local Post
The island operates the only USPS-sanctioned local postLocal post
A local post is a mail service that operates only within a limited geographical area, typically a city or a single transportation route. Historically, some local posts have been operated by governments, while others, known as private local posts have been for-profit companies...
operating in the United States.
Service is provided by way of a Ford Trimotor
Ford Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
which shuttles mail between the island and the mainland. From 1966 to 1989, USPS mail was routed by way of Port Clinton, Ohio
Port Clinton, Ohio
Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,056 at the 2010 census. The city has been nicknamed the "Walleye Capital of the World."...
. Today, outgoing mail from the island enters the USPS mail stream by way of Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
.
Local Post service began in 1966 and continued through 1989, when the island was sold and the new owners discontinued the service. It was re-started in 2005 and continues to the current day.
The stamps of Rattlesnake Island Local Post appear in the 2009 Edition of Phillips' Modern US & Canada Local Posts CD Catalog.