Just Enough Room Island is a very unique, tiny little island in New York which just barely meets the measurement requirements to qualify as an island.
The island itself is not currently in the Guinness Book of World Records. However, that title belongs to Bishop Rock, which is a lonely lighthouse off the English Isles of Sicily. The lighthouse on Bishop Rock was automated in 1982, and Bishop Rock is no longer inhabited.
Just Enough Room Island is part of the Thousand Islands By official count, there are actually 1,864 islands that line the St. Lawrence River as it flows out of Lake Ontario.
The island itself – the smallest inhabited island – is owned by the Sizeland family, which they purchased in the 1950s as a getaway. When they built it out, they decided to create a little cottage that took up nearly every conceivable inch of dry land. Then, they planted a tree, and renamed the property from Hub Island to Just Enough Room Island.
Is It Really An Island?
The island itself is as big as a tennis court. The actual size is 3,300 square feet. And while the Sizeland family initially intended it as a quiet, remote getaway, the concept of an island with the building stretching to the very edges of the land started to attract tourists from all over the world.
In order to meet the criteria of being an island in this region, the land needs to be larger than one square foot. Also, it must remain above the water level year round. Further, it must sustain at least one tree.
Just Enough Room Island meets all of these criteria. Because of this… yes, it is actually an island!
Does Anyone Live There?
Image: @property_411 on Instagram
A family supposedly still lives on this island. However, their goal was to have a quiet spot away from it all. Because of all the tourist boats and the eager onlookers, they don’t often achieve their goal of solitude.
Can I Visit Just Enough Room Island?
Of course you can hire a boat or a tour and visit Just Enough Room Island, but you can’t really go on it. After all, it’s only big enough for the house, and the tree. If you take a slight mis-step, you end up in the water.