New York harbor is a weird place. Most people see the Statue of Liberty and call it a day, but there’s so much more beneath the surface—literally. You’ve probably heard of Governors Island as that place with the hammocks and the fancy spas, but before it was a playground for Manhattanites, it was basically an oyster factory. People forget that the original name for this 172-acre spit of land was Noten Eylandt (Nut Island) because of the trees, but the water surrounding it? That was the domain of the oyster.
Governors Island and the nearby "Oyster Islands" (which we now call Liberty and Ellis) were the epicenter of a massive, prehistoric reef system.
It's hard to imagine now. Today, the water looks murky. But back in the 1600s, the Lenape people were pulling dinner out of these waters like it was a grocery store. The history of Oyster Island Governors Island isn't just about food, though. It’s about how we destroyed an ecosystem and how, against all odds, people are trying to bring it back. If you want to understand why New York looks the way it does, you have to look at the shells.
The Days of the "Big Oyster"
When the Dutch showed up, they were floored. They found oyster beds so thick that ships actually struggled to navigate the shallows around what is now Governors Island. We're talking about reefs that covered nearly 220,000 acres of the harbor. At the time, an oyster wasn't a $4 luxury item you ordered at a posh rooftop bar in Chelsea. It was survival.
The Lenape had been harvesting these bivalves for thousands of years. You can still find "middens"—basically ancient trash heaps of shells—that prove just how much they relied on the harbor's bounty. To them, the area around Oyster Island and Governors Island was a seasonal home. They’d come for the protein, dry the meat for winter, and use the shells for tools or wampum.
Then came the Europeans.
The Dutch saw a goldmine. Or a "pearl mine," so to speak. They renamed the place Noten Eylandt in 1624, but the identity of the island remained tied to the water. By the time the British took over and started calling it Governors Island (reserved for "His Majesty's Governors"), the oyster industry was exploding. New York was the oyster capital of the world. Period. Street vendors sold them like hot dogs. Poor people ate them. Rich people ate them. Everyone was slurping.
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How We Killed the Harbor
By the 19th century, things got ugly. As New York grew, its waste grew too.
Raw sewage. Industrial chemicals. Everything went straight into the water surrounding Oyster Island and Governors Island. Oysters are filter feeders, which basically means they are the "liver" of the ocean. They suck in water, clean it, and keep the nutrients. But when the water is full of literal poison and human waste, the oysters become little toxic grenades.
By the early 1900s, the beds were dying. Or worse, they were so contaminated they were making people sick with typhoid. In 1927, the last of the New York City oyster beds were officially closed. The "Big Oyster" was dead. For nearly a century, the waters around Governors Island were essentially a dead zone for the species that had defined the region for millennia.
The Billion Oyster Project: A Modern Resurrection
If you walk along the promenade of Governors Island today, you’ll see something interesting. It’s not just tourists on Citi Bikes. You’ll see large metal cages filled with shells. This is the headquarters of the Billion Oyster Project, a massive undertaking aimed at restoring one billion live oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.
Why? Because one adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day.
Think about that. If we get a billion of them back, the water quality changes forever.
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The project uses Governors Island as its base of operations. They collect shells from restaurants all over the city—places like Grand Central Oyster Bar—and bring them here. The shells have to "cure" outside for a year to get rid of any bacteria. Then, they’re seeded with baby oysters (spat) and lowered into the harbor. They aren't for eating, though. Don't try it. These are "working oysters" meant to rebuild the reefs that protect the island from storm surges.
Why the Reefs Matter for Storms
Remember Superstorm Sandy?
The surge was devastating because there was nothing to break the waves. Historically, the massive reefs around Oyster Island and Governors Island acted as natural breakwaters. They took the energy out of the ocean before it hit the shore. By bringing the oysters back, we’re essentially building a living wall to protect the city from the next big one.
Visiting the "Oyster Islands" Today
Most people don't realize that Liberty Island and Ellis Island were once known as the Great Oyster Island and the Little Oyster Island. While you can't exactly go "oystering" there anymore, the ferry ride to Governors Island gives you the best view of this historical footprint.
When you get off the ferry at Soissons Landing, turn left. Head toward the "Climate Yard." This is where the real work happens. You can often see volunteers scrubbing shells or monitoring the nurseries. It’s a gritty, salty side of New York that feels a lot more authentic than the polished glass of Hudson Yards.
Honestly, the best time to go is late September. The crowds thin out, the air gets crisp, and you can really feel the history of the place. You can stand on the southern tip of Governors Island, look out toward the Statue of Liberty (the old Great Oyster Island), and imagine a time when the water was so clear you could see the reefs glowing white on the harbor floor.
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Hidden Details of Governors Island
It’s not all about the water, obviously. The island itself has a strange military history. It was a Coast Guard base until the 1990s. For a long time, it was a "ghost island." No one lived there except a few families and some guards. When the city took it over, they kept a lot of that vibe.
- The Hills: These aren't natural. They’re made from recycled debris and provide a 360-degree view of the harbor.
- Castle Williams: A circular fort that served as a prison during the Civil War. It’s imposing and kind of creepy.
- The Glamping: You can actually stay overnight now in luxury tents. It’s expensive, but waking up to the sound of the harbor (and the occasional foghorn) is pretty incredible.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think Oyster Island Governors Island is just a park. It’s not. It’s a laboratory.
There’s a high school on the island—The New York Harbor School. The students there don't just sit in classrooms; they learn diving, boat building, and aquaculture. They are the ones actually diving into the harbor to check on the oyster reefs. It’s probably the coolest high school in America. They are literally rebuilding the foundation of the city.
The misconception is that the "nature" part of New York is something we go to the Catskills for. But the most important nature is right here, in the salt water. The return of the oyster is a sign that the city is healing. We’re seeing seaplanes, seals, and even the occasional whale back in the harbor. None of that happens without the oysters.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're planning to head out there to see the legacy of Oyster Island for yourself, don't just wander around aimlessly.
- Check the Billion Oyster Project Calendar: They often have public volunteer days where you can actually help with the shell restoration. It’s a great way to get your hands dirty and learn the science.
- Visit the "Teaching Garden": Located near the center of the island, it’s a great spot to see how urban farming and harbor health intersect.
- Take the NYC Ferry: While there is a dedicated Governors Island ferry from the Battery, taking the NYC Ferry (South Brooklyn Route) gives you a wider view of the harbor's layout and the original "Oyster Island" sites.
- Walk the Perimeter: It’s about 2.2 miles. As you walk, look at the shoreline. Notice the "rip-rap" (the big rocks). These are the future homes for the next generation of New York oysters.
The story of the harbor is still being written. We spent 300 years destroying it, and we might spend the next 300 years putting it back together. But standing there on the edge of the island, with the wind hitting your face and the smell of salt in the air, you realize that the city is a lot more resilient than we give it credit for. The oysters are coming back. And they’re bringing the harbor back with them.
For your next trip, skip the Empire State Building. Take the $5 ferry. Go see the shells. It’s the most "New York" thing you can do.
Next Steps for the History Enthusiast:
To see the physical remnants of the oyster era, head to the South Street Seaport Museum in Manhattan after your trip to Governors Island. They house extensive archives on the 19th-century oyster trade. Alternatively, if you want to support the restoration directly, look into "shell recycling" programs if you work in the NYC restaurant industry—your dinner tonight could be the reef of tomorrow.