North Dumpling Island
North Dumpling Island is a small piece of land just off the coast of Connecticut and the private residence of Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway Personal Transporter.
Like any good inventor it seems Kamen is a wee bit eccentric, having declared the island to be an independent state with its own currency (in increments of Pi) and its own navy, consisting solely of the amphibious vehicle we can see parked beside the north-east building.
Although his independence isn’t officially recognised Kamen even signed a non-aggression pact with then-president George H.W. Bush.
Kamen has also erected a replica of Stonehenge to one corner of his island, where I’m guessing he might drive a Segway around the stones, naked and chanting.
Wikipedia Links: North Dumpling Island & Dean Kamen
Thanks: Pat Trainor
And if you think that one’s wacky, this is his other house…
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
Which according to Wikipedia has hallways like mineshafts, a steam engine and a hanger for two helicopters!
I’ve been to Dean Kamen’s main house (WestWind) several times, and it’s quite the house, complete with a observation tower, secret passage, helicopter hangar.
And yes, the Steam Engine.
What I simply don’t understand: The Segway is very cool, but currently, it can be said that the project completely failed in producing a mass market product. It is still only a toy for geeks.
How did Kamen become so rich? Is it because VC companies thought they’d better pile up their (and other’s) money in the Segway idea?
May be off the coast of CT, but it looks like the island’s across the border, part of New York State.
Dean Kamen made most of his fortune inventing an automatic insulin pump. He also made a fair bit of money on the iBot, the predecessor to the Segway.
The Segway appears to be more of a hobby than a good business plan.
I was in the US Coast Guard 1957-9 and was stationed in New London CT. One of my jobs was delivering supplies and people to North Dumpling when it was a manned light house.
N. Dumpling lies in the waters of Fishers Island Sound, New York State, NOT CT. The border in that area runs down the center of Fishers Island Sound (an extention of Long Island [also NYS] Sound and both Fishers Island and N. Dumpling are on the NY side by a considerable distance. N. Dumpling is a very short swim from Fishers Island NY but a considerable distance from CT.
I sail in the sound, and sailed out of it in the Navy (sub base). I said it was off the coast of CT!
I may have mistakenly said it was in CT, but again this was a mistake. Now perhps I should find a legitimate link for CT. This is the only one for my tiny state-right or not!
pat
