If you’ve ever wanted to own a wooded island in the James River, well, you missed your chance. A coalition of outdoor groups lead by the Enrichmond Foundation recently bought the only one up for sale.
The group paid $175,000 for Vauxhall Island, a low-lying, flood-prone piece of real estate that houses a homeless encampment and a billboard that draws rental income.
Enrichmond’s executive director, John Sydnor, says in a statement that “future plans for the island are in development and will be announced at a later date.”
The island sits just west of the Mayo Bridge adjacent to the great blue heron rookery. The only pedestrian access is by a train bridge, which is marked no trespassing.
The island is named for Vauxhall Gardens, an 18th-century pleasure garden in London, according to Enrichmond. Once accessible by from a footbridge from the Mayo Bridge, it has played host to a barroom, shuffleboard court, fishing and other amusements.