Upstate New York Home to World’s Smallest Island, Barely Big Enough For a House

Did you know Upstate New York is home to the smallest inhabited island in the world, barely big enough for a house?

Just Enough Room Island or Hub Island as it was originally called, can be found among the Thousand Islands in the St Lawrence River between Heart Island and Imperial Isle.

The island is only 3,300 square feet or about one-thirteenth of an acre in Alexandria Bay, New York. That's about the same size as a regulation tennis court. There is just enough room for a house and a tree. When the water levels are low, there's a small beach/yard with room for a few chairs. But watch where you step. You could easily land in the water with one misstep.

The Sizeland family bought the island in the 1950s and built a house as a place to escape the world for a while. The plan backfired when tourists flocked to the area to see the tiny island with an even smaller house.

Smallest Church in Central New York

New York isn't just home to the smallest island. The state also features the world's smallest church.

Cross Island Chapel is in the middle of a pond in Oneida, New York that you need a boat to get to.

The nearly 30 square foot Cross Island Chapel was built in 1989, providing enough room to seat two people. It's open to the public upon request and has been used a number of times for small, unique weddings.