Carleton’s Prize is a small island off the shore of South Hero, VT. Despite being mostly rock, the island is home to several rare plant species.
According to historians, the island was regarded as being one end of the long and hazardous canoe crossing (at right angles to the prevailing westerly winds) from Shelburne Point to South Hero. The Abenaki name for the island is odzihozoiskwa or Odzhihozo’s wife. The Abenaki name for the rock island just off the tip of Shelburne Point is Odzhihozo (also known as Rock Dunder).
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History
Carleton’s Prize was conserved in 1978, and it was the first property that was donated to the Lake Champlain Land Trust. The unique name derives from a British general named Carleton who thought the island was an American ship on a foggy morning in 1776 during the Revolutionary War. Cannon balls have been found on the island, supporting the story that the British general fired relentlessly on the island thinking it was an American ship. The stewardship of this island is made possible thanks to a memorial fund honoring Chuck de Burlo, a long-time Land Trust board member.
