Originally written by Carl White.
Anyone who has sailed on Long Island Sound has probably noticed, at one time or another, a small island near Byram with a tower rising above the forest canopy. This is Shell Island. It’s had many names including Little Calves Island, Huss Island, Eimer’s Island, and Tower Island. Local author Arlene Mark even wrote a book titled “To The Tower: A Greenwich Adventure” (2002) based on the island and tower. The tower was modeled after the Summerfield Methodist Church in Port Chester. It’s had a very storied history, and I thought I’d pass along some information I was able to find.
The island is located a quarter of a mile off the Byram Shore. At low tide, a sandbar connects it to the larger Calves Island. While Calves Island measures roughly 31.5 acres, Little Captain’s Island is only 5.23 acres. Legend has it that farmers used to lead cows over the sandbar at low tide to graze on the smaller island – hence the name “Little Calves Island.” (Another story going around claims that a pirate by the name of “Calves” buried a treasure there, but I find this questionable!)
The earliest mention of the island indicates that a successful chemist, August Otto Eimer, purchased the island from the widow of a Civil War veteran named Colonel Huss – thus the name Huss Island. He paid $40,000 in 1910, and the Eimer family owned it until about 1961. Eimer had gone into business with a man named Amend. They built a prominent pharmaceutical company and had glassblowers brought over from Germany to make bottles. It’s reputed that Eimer ended up providing Thomas Edison with blown glass that was used for his light bulbs. August also stated that he helped Edison with some of his experiments.
The Eimers lived in New York City – in the same building as Babe Ruth – and came out to Byram around June. They had a bungalow built on shore, which angered the neighbors. It was a pre-fab from Sears and Roebuck, which clashed with other houses in the area. When it was warm enough, a captain would take them out to the island in a rowboat. They stayed on the island until September, then moved back to the bungalow until Thanksgiving, when they moved back to the city.
The island was a natural preserve for birds and animals. It was even reported that minks lived on the island. Island residents also loved the beautiful wildflowers that bloomed there. Several species of trees were planted by the residents. Crab apples, pears, and plums were available, and Concord grapes grew on trellises. Horseshoe crabs, fish, and shellfish were plentiful. Since there was an abundance of beautiful pink and gold shells on the shore, it was named Shell Island – its most common name today.
According to Eimer’s granddaughter, there were five different structures on the island. The largest mansion was called The White House. There was a Red House, a Yellow House, and a Spray house. Several boathouses were built over time. The Eimers also installed a rope and pulley system to haul small vessels on shore. This was important because the Eimers invited many people to their summer home.
At one point, the Red House on stilts became The Shell Shore Clubhouse. Mr. Eimer and his classmates from Columbia University founded a Shell Shore Club, which consisted of approximately 150 members. Membership was $5 per year. It was simply a special place where friends could congregate.
The Shell Island Tower was built in 1925, built to be a family museum. Granite for the 60-foot tower was taken out of a local Byram Quarry. A bell was placed at the top, and a long rope hung down to the first floor. Its primary purpose was to serve as a fire alarm. There were four floors, and each one had a theme. The first floor contained a bust of the son and sailing trophies. His daughter, who was an artist, had her own floor. Another floor had travel memorabilia from all over the world. Mr. Eimer had a collection of letters and paraphernalia from Thomas Edison on the top floor. His wife and son also had their own floors. The tower was listed on a Registry of Connecticut Historic Buildings.
Croquet and tennis were favorite past times on the island. The residents also loved to swim and sail. Some of the local boat and yacht clubs invited the small boat owners to join in some of the local races. On Saturday nights, guests would be invited to come over to the island to hear music coming over from a club on the larger Calves Island. The proximity to Rye Playland also gave them an unobstructed view of the fireworks.
A mysterious houseboat was moored between Calves Island and Shell Island during the 1920s. Although no one ever interacted with the owner, it was believed the owner was a “bootlegger,” who ran liquor up the coast from New York. At any rate, there was never any disturbance around the area
. 
By 1961, many of the Eimers had passed away or moved away. The last relative sold the island to Julius Silver for $50,000. He wanted the island to ensure his view of the Sound wouldn’t be impeded. As time went along, fewer people traveled to the island. Vandals began trashing the island and defacing the beautiful Tower. They even broke a door off. Many of the valuable items disappeared.
Mr. Silver decided that he didn’t want to pay taxes on buildings he wasn’t using. He burned some down. Silver had hoped his daughter might move out there, but this never happened. The island was eventually overgrown with poison ivy and brush, so he decided to sell the Island to the Greenwich Land Trust in 1990. The Trust had been established in 1976 to protect and preserve natural land tracts in town. They could marshall the resources to repair the structures and make a natural preserve.
In 2012, the Land Trust had to repair the island Tower to ensure preservation. They spent $70,000 to repair the roof and stabilize the structure. Today, the Greenwich Land Trust sponsors kayak trips out to the island so that residents can enjoy its rustic nature.
SOURCES
Jewell, Karen: A History of the Greenwich Waterfront, Tod’s Point, Great Captain Island and the Greenwich Shoreline; The History Press, Charleston
Kristoff, Alberta; The Eimer Family and Shell Island; Greenwich Library Oral History Project, Greenwich, 1989.
Leinbach, Mary; Shell Island; Greenwich Oral History Project, Greenwich, 1992.
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