Children's Island

Children's Island, (formerly known as both Cat Island and Lowell Island) is located just off the entrance to Marblehead Harbor. One of the first island resort hotels was opened here in 1852. The 100 room hotel brought visitors in on the brand-new Salem and Lowell Rail Road. The Salem Steamboat Co. was formed to provide excursion boats to bring people to the island. The Island House, later called Lowell Island House, had 100 rooms, a 250-seat dining room, bowling alleys and boats for fishing and sailing. The hotel operated until 1878, when it was converted to a sanatorium for children. In the summer months, a sanatorium for children operated using the old hotel for approximately 100 children with many ailments such as bone tuberculosis, infantile paralysis, malnutrition, and rickets. They were between 2 and 12 years old. They used occupational therapy and sunlight therapies with the children and also sea bathing.