 Skenoh Island from Canandaigua City Pier | |
  Skenoh Island Location within New York | |
| Etymology | "Skenoh" translates to "health" or "peace" in the Seneca language. Until 2021 the island was known as "Squaw Island".[1] |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 42°52′12″N 77°16′32″W / 42.87000°N 77.27556°W |
| Adjacent to | Canandaigua Lake |
| Area | 8,000 sq ft (740 m2) |
| Length | 145 ft (44.2 m) |
| Width | 55 ft (16.8 m) |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | New York |
| County | Ontario |
| Town | Canandaigua |
Skenoh Island is located at the north end of Canandaigua Lake, near the city of Canandaigua, New York, United States. It is one of two islands in the 11 Finger Lakes.[Note 1] Frequently it is described as New York's smallest state park;[2] however, while it is one of the state's smallest protected areas, it is not formally designated as a state park, but rather it is a "unique area" managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.[3][4] The island was previously known as Squaw Island until October 2021, when the name was changed to remove the ethnic slur squaw.[1]
It formed from the alluvial deposits of nearby Sucker Brook. Limestone from the brook's bedrock dissolved in its waters forms rare lime carbonate oncolites, known locally as "water biscuits", on its shores. Rises in the lake level following the damming of Canandaigua Outlet have reduced the island to a small portion of its former land. The state and local activists have worked together to shore it up against erosion and prevent it from disappearing.
- ^ a b Herbert, Geoff (October 25, 2021). "Upstate NY island's 'offensive' name has officially been changed". Syracuse.com. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Henry, Ray (June 16, 2010). "Historically Significant Sites/Areas of the Town of Canandaigua" (PDF). Town of Canandaigua. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ "Rochester/Western Finger Lakes". New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Squaw Island Unique Area". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
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