what's thereTwo-thirds of the island's 185 upland acres are taken up by the Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant, protecting against the daily onslaught of sewage that had once contaminated waters and fouled beaches.
Sixty acres of park land surrounding the treatment plant offer walking, jogging, sightseeing, picnicking, and fishing. There is a 2.6-mile perimeter pathway and another 2 miles of trails on the hills of the island. (Dog walkers are reminded that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times and to clean up after their pets.)
Deer Island is committed to renewable energy through the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) wastewater treatment plant. This facility uses the same amount of electricity as more than 2,000 homes each year. Using a hydroturbine, however, the facility produces 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy.
There is a new element in the landsacape at Deer Island: the Judge A. David Mazzonea memorial. The granite and bronze memorial honors the late Federal District Court Judge in recognition of his contributions to the Boston Harbor cleanup.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Public areas are open dawn to dusk, every day. Group tours of the treatment plant interior are available by advanced appointment. Call the tour line at 617-660-7607 or go to www.mwra.com for more information.
Deer Island is not currently served by park boats. Access is by public transit or private auto.
 Travel Directions
short historyWhy is Deer Island not an island? Once it was, but it has been connected to the mainland since the famous 1938 hurricane. The island has been used by Native Americans, quarantined immigrants, farmers, orphans, paupers, military personnel, and tens of thousands of prisoners at the now-demolished county house of corrections. The new waste water treatment plant continues long-standing use of the island for sewage disposal facilities, which began in the late 1800s.
During King Philips War, a Native American armed resistance to 17th-century European colonization, Deer Island became a place of internment in the winter of 1675-76 for about 500 Native Americans whom Europeans had removed by force from their homes and villages. Without adequate food or shelter, many died. After the war, other Indians were imprisoned on Deer Island. Native Americans return to Deer Island every October to solemnly commemorate their ancestors suffering in this sorrowful historical chapter.
In the 1800s Deer Island was the landing point for thousands of Irish immigrants, many sick and poverty-stricken. These are only a few of the fascinating historical tales from Deer Island.
managing agencyThis island of Boston Harbor Islands national park area is managed by Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).
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