As a kid growing up on Cape Cod, I dreamed of visiting Penikese, an island that was close by but hard to reach. I couldn't go there in person, but I could learn about it from old newspaper articles at the public library.
The island's history as a place of both refuge and confinement captured my imagination. Penikese's beauty doesn't come from some "untouched", pristine character. Like most places, it bears the imprint of human contact, which is why it captivates.
