in which one brother built a stone wall down the island to split it in two and then in an effort to drive the other brother off the island he set the snakes loose. This, according to the legend, was a great failure as both brothers were driven off the island when the snakes multiplied rapidly. There are many history reports of the snakes, and the Libby Museum in Tuftonboro has some of the island snakes on display for the public to see. In the early 1900s there was a gentleman by the name of Jesse Whitten from Wolfeboro who considered himself a healer of sorts. He would harvest the snake tails from the island to use in his healing potions. There are also reports of workers fromthe lumbering operations who got bitten by the snakes. To try to eliminate the snakes the island was set afire, but the snakes were able to hide deep in the crevices in the ledges and survived. The island was finally eliminated of the snakes by the introduction of razorback hogs which hunted them. Some people believe the island is named as such due to its shape and some believe it looks like an alligator. Whichever way you think, Rattlesnake is an island with a lot to offer. It is actually part of the Belknap Range and the peak of the island is known as Rattlesnake Mountain. Rattlesnake Mountain is 900 in elevation, which is 400 above mean lake level and 886 lower than Mount Major. The panoramic views