Sunset Island is a three-acre island on

Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; , ) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canadian province of Quebec. The cities of Burlington, Ve ...

, located just west of the Greater Mallets Bay,

Colchester, Vermont Colchester is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Colchester was 17,524. It is the third-most populous municipality and most populous town in the state of Vermont. Colchester borders B ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

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It is currently privately held, with Patricia McDonald as the majority owner. Originally named Hogback Island, the property was used by the caretaker of the Colchester Reef Light, Colchester Reef lighthouse for

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

from 1871 until the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1933. In 1956, after the

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

had been relocated to the

Shelburne Museum Shelburne Museum is a museum of art, design, and Americana located in Shelburne, Vermont, United States. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the museum grounds. It is located ...

, Sunset Island went up for auction and was purchased by John McDonald and 3 other sportsmen to be used predominantly for

duck hunting Waterfowl hunting is the practice of hunting aquatic birds such as ducks, geese and other waterfowls or shorebirds for sport and meat. Waterfowl are hunted in crop fields where they feed, or in areas with bodies of water such as rivers, lakes ...

. There are no facilities on the island besides a one-room cabin left over from the lighthouse era that is used to store maintenance and landscaping requirements.

References

{{reflist Colchester, Vermont Landforms of Chittenden County, Vermont Lake islands of Vermont Islands of Lake Champlain