Georges Island is home to Fort Warren, which has been designated a national historic landmark. The fort was constructed between 1833 and 1869 and was used for training the Union soldiers during the Civil War. Later, the fort served as a prison for captured Confederate soldiers. Today, this 39-acre island also serves as the entrance to the Boston Harbor Islands State Park and offers visitors a free water taxi to the surrounding islands.

Visitors can take a guided fort tour or participate in a historical or nautical program led by Park Rangers. You can enjoy a picnic lunch, fly kites, or explore the island. The island also has an information booth and snack bar.

But visitors beware. It is rumored that you can hear the voices and see the shadows of troops that were the victims of the inclement island weather. Also, the legend of the “Lady in Black,” a Confederate prisoner’s wife, lives on.

The island is open to the public from 9 a.m. to sunset.