West Sister Island: Difference between revisions

West Sister Island Wilderness
West Sister Island Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
	West Sister Light with Keeper's Dwelling
Location	Lucas County, Ohio, USA
Nearest city	Toledo, Ohio
Coordinates	41°44′23″N 83°6′19″W / 41.73972°N 83.10528°W{{#coordinates:}}: cannot have more than one primary tag per page
Area	77 acres (0.31 km2)
Established	1975
Governing body	U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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41°44′21″N 83°06′17″W / 41.73917°N 83.10472°W / 41.73917; -83.10472

West Sister Island is an island of the U.S. state of Ohio located in Lake Erie. The 82 acres (33 ha) island is in the Western Basin of Lake Erie and is jointly owned by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and managed and designated as a wilderness area. The only such area in Ohio with this designation, West Sister Island Wildlife Refuge is home to many birds. To protect vital nesting areas of the island's bird population, public access is permitted for research only, and only one day a year.^[1]

Most of the island is covered with trees. Tall hackberry trees make up most of the canopy, with poison ivy on the ground. Polygonatum and a great variety of ferns, wildflowers, mushrooms, and other plant life can also be found.^[2]

History

A lighthouse was established on the westernmost point of West Sister Island in 1848 to mark the west end of the South Passage through Lake Erie’s Bass Islands. Standing on a stone foundation, the limestone and brick tower rises to a height of 55 feet (17 m). The West Sister Island Lighthouse is still active, and is one of the oldest lighthouses to survive on the Great Lakes.^[3]

Ironically, after being established as a wildlife refuge, the island was used by the United States Army for artillery practice during World War II. Although the wildlife population and the lighthouse were not significantly damaged, the keeper's house was destroyed. It is also reported that fuel tanks jettisoned by dive bombers can still be found on the island.^[3]

West Sister Island was a popular stop for bootleggers during Prohibition. The island provided a certain level of visual cover from the authorities for rum runners crossing the lake. When approached by these authorities, bootleggers would often dump their illegal stash overboard. Legend has it that bottles of prohibition-era alcohol can still be found on the bottom of the lake around the island.

West Sister Island was once rumored to be the final resting place of missing Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. It was speculated that after his abduction in Detroit, he was brought by boat to the island and buried. The island's jungle-like environment would have made discovery of his remains difficult; however these conditions would also have made the deposit of his remains difficult, therefore the island is not one of the more widely-considered possibilities in the case.

Wildlife refuge

West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the staff of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge as a wilderness area, as provided under the Federal Wilderness Act. It is Ohio's only Wilderness Area.

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established West Sister Island "as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife...," and it was specifically designated to protect the largest wading bird nesting colony on the U.S. Great Lakes. To protect this vital nesting area, public access is permitted for research only.

The refuge has a surface area of 80.13 acres (0.3243 km² or 32.43 ha).^[4]

In popular culture

The wildlife refuge was featured on an episode of the Discovery Channel TV series Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. Due to the large number of birds vomiting and defecating from high in the trees the island is referred to as "Vomit Island" in the program.

References

Notes

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

External links

Template:USLighthouseSources

[1] "West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge".

[2] "West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge, an Ohio State Park near Detroit Beach, Port Clinton, Riverview, Taylor".

[lighthousefriends.com-3] "West Sister Island Lighthouse, Ohio at Lighthousefriends.com".

[4] USFWS Lands Report, 30 September 2007

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{coord|41|44|21|N|83|06|17|W|display=title}}
 {{Infobox Protected area
 | name = West Sister Island Wilderness
@@ Line 22: / Line 23: @@
 }}
-'''West Sister Island''' is an island of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Ohio]] located in [[Lake Erie]]. The {{convert|82|acre|ha}} island is in the [[Western Basin of Lake Erie]].
+'''West Sister Island''' is an island of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Ohio]] located in [[Lake Erie]]. The {{convert|82|acre|ha}} island is in the [[Western Basin of Lake Erie]] and is jointly owned by the [[United States Coast Guard]] and the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], and managed and designated as a [[wilderness area]]. The only such area in Ohio with this designation, '''West Sister Island Wildlife Refuge''' is home to many [[bird]]s. To protect vital nesting areas of the island's bird population, public access is permitted for research only, and only one day a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=31542|title=West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
+Most of the island is covered with trees. Tall [[hackberry]] trees make up most of the canopy, with [[poison ivy]] on the ground. [[Polygonatum]] and a great variety of [[ferns]], [[wildflowers]], [[mushrooms]], and other plant life can also be found.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateparks.com/west_sister_island.html|title=West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge, an Ohio State Park near Detroit Beach, Port Clinton, Riverview, Taylor<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
-The island is jointly owned by the [[United States Coast Guard]] and the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], and managed and designated as a [[wilderness area]]. The only such area in Ohio with this designation, '''West Sister Island Wilderness''' is home to many [[bird]]s. To protect vital nesting areas of the island's bird population, public access is permitted for research only, and only one day a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=31542|title=West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> Due to the large number of birds vomiting and defecating from high in the trees the island has been nicknamed "Vomit Island" by the locals, and it was featured on an episode of the television show ''[[Dirty Jobs]]'' with [[Mike Rowe]].
+==History==
 A [[lighthouse]] was established on the westernmost point of West Sister Island in 1848 to mark the west end of the South Passage through Lake Erie’s [[Bass Islands]]. Standing on a stone foundation, the [[limestone]] and brick tower rises to a height of 55&nbsp;feet (17&nbsp;m). The West Sister Island Lighthouse is still active, and is one of the oldest lighthouses to survive on the [[Great Lakes]].<ref name="lighthousefriends.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=273|title=West Sister Island Lighthouse, Ohio at Lighthousefriends.com<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
-Most of the island is covered with trees. Tall [[hackberry]] trees make up most of the canopy, with [[poison ivy]] on the ground. [[Polygonatum]] and a great variety of [[ferns]], [[wildflowers]], [[mushrooms]], and other plant life can also be found.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateparks.com/west_sister_island.html|title=West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge, an Ohio State Park near Detroit Beach, Port Clinton, Riverview, Taylor<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
 Ironically, after being established as a wildlife refuge, the island was used by the [[United States Army]] for [[artillery]] practice during [[World War II]]. Although the wildlife population and the lighthouse were not significantly damaged, the keeper's house was destroyed. It is also reported that fuel tanks jettisoned by dive bombers can still be found on the island.<ref name="lighthousefriends.com"/>
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 West Sister Island was once rumored to be the final resting place of missing [[Teamsters]] boss [[Jimmy Hoffa]]. It was speculated that after his abduction in [[Detroit]], he was brought by boat to the island and buried. The island's jungle-like environment would have made discovery of his remains difficult; however these conditions would also have made the deposit of his remains difficult, therefore the island is not one of the more widely-considered possibilities in the case.
+==Wildlife refuge==
+'''West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge''' is managed by the staff of the [[Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge]] as a wilderness area, as provided under the [[Federal Wilderness Act]]. It is Ohio's only [[Wilderness Area]].
+In 1937, President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] established West Sister Island "as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife...," and it was specifically designated to protect the largest [[wading bird]] [[nesting]] colony on the U.S. [[Great Lakes]]. To protect this vital nesting area, public access is permitted for research only.
+The refuge has a surface area of 80.13 [[acre]]s (0.3243 km² or 32.43 [[Hectare|ha]]).<ref>[http://www.fws.gov/refuges/land/LandReport.html USFWS Lands Report, 30 September 2007]</ref>
+==In popular culture==
+The wildlife refuge was featured on an episode of the [[Discovery Channel]] TV series ''[[Dirty Jobs]]'' with [[Mike Rowe]]. Due to the large number of birds vomiting and defecating from high in the trees the island is referred to as "Vomit Island" in the program.
 ==References==
+===Notes===
 {{reflist}}
+{{Include-USGov|agency=United States Fish and Wildlife Service}}
-==Further reading==
+===Further reading===
 * Oleszewski, Wes. ''Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses'', (Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998) ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
 * U.S. Coast Guard. ''Historically Famous Lighthouses'' (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1957).
@@ Line 47: / Line 59: @@
 *[http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/oh.htm Rowlett, Russ, Lighthouse Directory, Ohio Lighthouses, West Sister Island Light.] [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]].
 *[http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHOH.asp U.S. Coast Guard, Historical Information and Photographs, Ohio lighthouses, "West Sister Island Light".]
+*[http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=31542 Refuge profile]
+*[http://midwest.fws.gov/ottawa Refuge website]
 {{USLighthouseSources}}
 {{Lighthouses of Ohio|state=collapsed}}
+{{Protected Areas of Ohio}}
+[[Category:Islands in the Great Lakes]]
 [[Category:Islands of Ohio]]
 [[Category:Lighthouses in Ohio]]
 [[Category:Lucas County, Ohio]]
-[[Category:Islands in the Great Lakes]]
+[[Category:National Wildlife Refuges in Ohio]]
+[[Category:Protected areas established in 1937]]
 [[de:West Sister Island]]