Cow Island: The Most Historic Island on Lake Winnipesaukee

Cow Island: Where Lake Winnipesaukee History Runs Deep

Most islands on Lake Winnipesaukee are known for their views, their beaches, or their summer cottages. Cow Island is known for all of that, and then some. At about 520 acres, it is the third-largest island on New Hampshire's largest lake, sitting on the Tuftonboro side near Wolfeboro. But what really sets Cow Island apart is everything that happened here before the first summer cottage was ever built.

Guernsey cattle. A three-story wind-powered grist mill. One of the longest-running boys camps in American history. And a secret island restaurant that reportedly drew reservations weeks in advance. Cow Island earned its name honestly, and its story is one of the most layered on the entire lake.

Why Is It Called Cow Island?

The name is not just colorful local folklore. It traces back to a genuine agricultural milestone. In 1831, a Captain Prince reportedly brought two heifers and one bull from the Isle of Guernsey to this island, making Cow Island the recorded home of the first Guernsey cattle in America. The herd eventually grew to around 40 animals, and the island operated as a working dairy farm. The Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society refers to the island by its older alternate name, Guernsey Island, calling it "the first home of Guernsey cattle in America."

An 1880 promotional pamphlet published by the Boston and Lowell Railroad, titled Winnipesaukee and About There, offers a vivid snapshot of the island during that era. The writer describes stepping ashore and finding "the proverbial black sheep of the flock, who stamped her heels in astonishment and then took them across the door-sill and over the neighboring stone wall in a hurry." By then, the island was given over entirely to sheep and cattle, its old farmhouse already a dilapidated ruin. The pamphlet also notes that Cow Island was formally annexed to Tuftonboro in 1799, along with three other large islands that had previously belonged to no town and paid no taxes.

So when you cruise past Cow Island on a July afternoon, you are looking at a place woven into American agricultural history. Not bad for a quiet island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake.

A Windmill on the High Ground

Before the Guernsey herd arrived, Cow Island already had a remarkable landmark. Shortly after the War of 1812, the island's owners, who lived in Dover, sent a man named Paul Pillsbury to the island. Pillsbury built a wind-powered grist mill on the island's highest point, reportedly 40 feet tall and three stories high. The mill ground flour and cattle feed and served as the only grist mill in the nearby area.

The 1880 railroad pamphlet describes the summit in striking detail. The writer climbed through the great pasture, giving "a wide berth to a herd of cattle, some of whom are suspected of inhospitable feelings," and reached the top, about 150 to 200 feet above the lake level. There he found the old windmill, still a conspicuous landmark in that part of the lake. Around the ruined farmhouse, the remnants of the Pillsbury family's life were still visible: "a clump of blasted lilac bushes, a few stunted apple trees, with the remains of mother Pillsbury's herb garden, in the shape of catnip and wormwood, and father Pillsbury's pest, the Canada thistle." The pamphlet also recalls that the Brown boys from nearby Long Island used to row or skate over to spend evenings in the Pillsbury kitchen, where a fireplace still stood and winter winds made the fire roar.

Here is the detail that stops you cold: the heavy timber framing for that mill was hewn on the mainland and hauled across the frozen lake by hand. The mill stood for about 90 years before a storm destroyed it around 1902. In 1935, the New Hampshire Guernsey Breeders Association built a replica on the same site, incorporating some of the original pieces.

The image of those timbers sliding across winter ice on Lake Winnipesaukee is about as vivid as local history gets.

Camp Idlewild and a Classic Winnipesaukee Summer

In 1891, Cow Island entered its next great chapter: Camp Idlewild, a private boys camp for ages 7 through 15 that operated on a 200-acre section of the island each July and August. Sources place its closing somewhere in the 1970s, with some records citing 1970 and others citing 1975. Either way, Camp Idlewild ran for the better part of a century, and some accounts describe it as one of the longest continuously operating private boys camps in the United States at the time of its closure.

The camp had a flavor that feels quintessentially Winnipesaukee. Horses were barged out from Harilla Landing on the mainland, and trail riding wound through the camp's interior. The Sophie C, the lake's famous mail boat, made Cow Island a regular stop on its route, delivering letters to campers. Parents could stay on nearby Little Bear Island.

After the camp closed, its grounds transitioned to a residential association, and the cottages that stand there today carry a quiet sense of that summer-camp legacy.

Mama Lucy's: The Island Restaurant You Had to Know About

For a stretch of Lake Winnipesaukee history, Cow Island had something almost no other island on the lake could claim: its own restaurant. Known variously as Gus' Lodge and Mama Lucy's, the dining spot sat in Back Cove and reportedly served large, family-style meals by reservation only, with tables booked far in advance. Local lore even holds that actress Sophia Loren dined there in the 1980s, though that story is best treated as the kind of beautiful rumor that belongs to every great hidden-gem restaurant.

A 2024 island-property account notes that Mama Lucy's has recently closed. The legend, however, is intact.

Exploring the Cow Island Neighborhood by Boat

The 1880 pamphlet notes that Cow Island has two high parts nearly separated by coves, with the south end containing a "very lovely" spot called Berber's Pole Cove. Views from the summit take in Moultonboro Bay, accessible through the narrow channel separating Cow and Little Bear Islands. That channel and those coves are still the best way to understand the island's geography, and a slow cruise around the perimeter on a clear day rewards every turn.

Cow Island is a private residential island, and there are no public docks, public beaches, or public hiking trails confirmed on the island itself. The best way to experience Cow Island is from the water, tracing its coves, watching the old mill site from a safe distance, and soaking in the views toward the Ossipee and White Mountains.

For a public landing nearby, Ragged Island is the answer. Managed by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, this 11-acre conservation island sits just to the west of Cow Island, with nearly a mile of shoreline, two sandy beaches for paddle-craft landing, and a perimeter nature trail open to the public. Paddlers may access it from the Nineteenmile Bay boat launch to the northeast. If you want to stretch your legs on an island in this neighborhood, Ragged Island is where you can do it.

Stay on the Island: Cow Island Escape

If you want to do more than cruise past, there is one way to truly live the Cow Island experience: rent a property on the island itself.

Cow Island Escape (#545) is a contemporary 2-bedroom, 2-bath retreat on a secluded 5.7-acre point, with over 1,000 feet of private shoreline and panoramic views across the Broads toward the Belknap Mountains. The property has southern exposure, a sandy beach, and a 2-slip dock, so arriving by boat is part of the experience. Inside, a barrel-vaulted ceiling tops the open-concept living area, and both bedrooms have direct outdoor access for those early-morning lake views. The wrap-around deck is ideal for watching both the sunrise and the sunset.

Guests do need to provide their own watercraft, and mainland access is just a half-mile away. This is a property for people who want the real island life, not just a lakefront cottage with a view of one.

Sleeps 6 | From $3,000/week

Browse Property #545 →

Own a Piece of Cow Island

Cow Island real estate rarely comes to market, which makes these current and recent listings worth a close look.

68 Cow IslandActive

• Price: $799,000
• Beds: 2 | Baths: 2
• Square feet: 976
• Acreage: 0.99 acres
• Year built: 1980
• Waterfront: Lake Winnipesaukee

This fully furnished, move-in-ready cottage is a rare chance to step onto Cow Island with nothing left to do but enjoy it. The open-concept interior features vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, and warm pine finishes that feel exactly right for a historic island setting. With nearly an acre and a thoughtfully maintained footprint, this is the kind of property that holds its character across generations.

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23 Cow IslandUnder Contract

• Price: $725,000
• Beds: 2 | Baths: 1
• Square feet: 1,147
• Acreage: 0.85 acres
• Year built: 1993
• Waterfront: Lake Winnipesaukee

For buyers with a vision, this generously sized double-level lot offers long-range views and a solid existing structure currently used as a workshop. The footprint and the setting are strong; what you build on top of them is up to you. Properties with this much potential on Cow Island are genuinely uncommon.

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105 Cow IslandSold

• Sold for: $607,500 (listed at $650,000)
• Beds: 2 | Baths: 1
• Square feet: 959
• Acreage: 0.22 acres
• Year built: 1999
• Waterfront: Lake Winnipesaukee

Situated in Orchard Cove, one of Cow Island's most sheltered locations, this updated retreat trades big-lake chop for calm water ideal for paddleboarding, tubing, and anchoring out. The cove setting gives it a quieter character than open-water island properties, and the modern conveniences make it ready for a full summer season.

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5 Cow IslandSold

• Sold for: $450,000 (listed at $599,999)
• Beds: 2 | Baths: 2
• Square feet: 1,059
• Acreage: 0.73 acres
• Year built: 1975
• Waterfront: Lake Winnipesaukee

With 214 feet of shoreline and a deeded dock slip at Harilla Landing Yacht Club on the mainland, this property solves one of the practical puzzles of island ownership before you even unpack. Island life with a guaranteed mainland slip is a meaningful combination at this price point on Lake Winnipesaukee.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit Cow Island as a member of the public?

Cow Island is a private residential island, and no public docks, beaches, or hiking trails have been confirmed there. Visitors should not assume they can land without permission from a property owner. The best way to experience Cow Island is from the water on a boat tour or cruise day. For a nearby public island landing, Ragged Island Conservation Area to the west has two paddle-craft beaches and a perimeter trail managed by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust.

How do you get to Cow Island?

Cow Island is accessible only by boat. There is no bridge to the island. Renters at properties like Cow Island Escape (#545) need to bring or arrange their own watercraft. Mainland access points near the island include Harilla Landing and the Nineteenmile Bay boat launch in Tuftonboro.

Why is Cow Island called Cow Island?

The name connects to the island's cattle history. In 1831, a Captain Prince reportedly brought two heifers and one bull from the Isle of Guernsey to the island, making it the recorded home of the first Guernsey cattle in the United States. The herd eventually grew to about 40 animals, and the island operated as a dairy farm. The older historical name for the island is Guernsey Island.

What was Camp Idlewild on Cow Island?

Camp Idlewild was a private boys camp for ages 7 through 15 that operated on a 200-acre section of Cow Island from 1891 into the 1970s. It was one of the longest-running private boys camps in the country. The Sophie C mail boat made regular stops to deliver letters to campers, and horses were barged out from Harilla Landing on the mainland for trail riding. After the camp closed, its grounds became a residential association.

How big is Cow Island, and what town is it in?

Cow Island is about 520 acres, making it the third-largest island on Lake Winnipesaukee, behind Long Island and Bear Island. It is located in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, formally annexed to that town in 1799, and sits near the Wolfeboro side of the lake.

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