Thisprivateisland for rent in CT was once home to a Boy Scout camp
Jul. 17—The Boy Scouts of Meriden used to camp on what is now known as Laurel Island (was colloquially called Boy Scout Island) beginning in the 1930s until they sold it in the 1940s. Per Solomon, Bob Weiss, who purchased the property from the Boy Scouts, is credited with converting the mess hall into a what is now the island's main cabin and building an additional five cabins.
Solomon said that he and his wife acquired the island when they were looking for a summer property in 2005. After coming across the listing for Laurel Island, Solomon said he could not resist.
"The listing read 'Island for sale,'" Solomon laughed. "How could you not be interested in an island?"
To get to the island, Adams and Solomon pilot a pontoon boat across the lake. Pulling up to Laurel Island, guests can see the dock of the property. On the water near the dock floats a swim platform with a small ladder, and pedal boats bob near the shore in front of the compound.
Upon arrival, guests unload from the boat onto the main deck area. The porch is dotted with tables, various picnic benches and rocking chairs. Adams said she feels this area of Laurel Island is akin to something magical.
"I don't know what it is, but every afternoon — no matter what — there is a breeze blowing through this porch," Adams said.
The six different properties on Laurel Island are the A-frame, Bay Cabin, Captains Cabin, Chalet, Deck House and the Lodge, and together they can sleep a total of 39 people. Each of the cabins comes outfitted with a small kitchen, bedrooms and a half bathroom. The main cabin, the Lodge, is the only structure that has its own shower. Guests of Laurel Island who stay in the other cabins are to use a shower house that sits in the center of the property to wash up.
Four of the cabins on Laurel Island. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media
In the center of the island, volleyball courts, a fire pit, and chairs repurposed from broken canoes create a central outdoor space. Inflatable toys, canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and other floaty toys are stacked tall on the side of the main lodge.
The entire Laurel Island compound is on an off-the-grid system. The main lodge is adorned with rows of solar panels on its roof and a giant battery sits nearby, and those two things power all the workings of the island.
The plumbing system is also self-sustainable as it uses composting toilets, meaning toilet paper does not go into the toilet itself but instead is placed in a bin and is then composted with the push of a button on the wall. Additionally, Solomon and Adams provide lake-friendly biodegradable products for guests.
When Solomon and his wife first purchased the island, he said that he thought there was not going to be a rental business renting each of the six different cabins on the small island. And, while the individual cabins are available to be rented, Solomon said most of his business comes from whole-island rentals.
Since acquiring the property, Solomon has not done any construction to the original structure on the island but has instead maintained the integrity of what is presumed to be the Boy Scout mess hall and turned it into the Lodge by updating the furniture and the finishes. Adams' husband did recently build a sauna near the shower house, which she said has become a huge hit among renters.
Now, Laurel Island serves as a place for all sorts of gatherings. Flipping through the property's guest book reveals messages from people from Connecticut and beyond expressing what the island gave to them. Yale graduate students who came to the island in 2022 to celebrate their graduation after losing their on-campus ceremonies due to COVID thanked Adams and Solomon for allowing them to reunite in a special way. Family and high school reunions recalled making new memories and reconnecting with loved ones on the island.
Laurel Island can be rented as the whole island for a weekend at a rate of $5,500 for 20 people and $250 for each additional person (max 39), or a full week at a rate of $10,000 for 20 people and $400 for each additional person (max 39).
Individual cabins can also be rented, and Laurel Island does day trip rental options as well; rates can be found on its website.
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