Washington Island (Wisconsin)

Island in Lake Michigan

Washington Island

Washington Island

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Washington Island

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Geography
Location| Door County, Wisconsin
Coordinates| 45°22′37″N 86°53′47″W﻿ / ﻿45.376991°N 86.896362°W﻿ / 45.376991; -86.896362
Area| 23.51 sq mi (60.9 km2)
Length| 6 mi (10 km)
Width| 5 mi (8 km)
Highest elevation| 705 ft (214.9 m)
Administration

United States

State| Wisconsin
County| Door County
Town| Washington Island
Demographics
Population| 708 (2010)
Washington Island

Washington Island is an island of the state of Wisconsin situated in Lake Michigan. Lying about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of the tip of the Door Peninsula, it is part of Door County, Wisconsin.[1] The island has a year-round population of 708 people according to the 2010 census. It has a land area of 60.9 km2 (23.51 sq mi) and comprises over 92 percent of the land area of the town of Washington, as well as all of its population. The unincorporated community of Detroit Harbor is situated on the island. It is the largest in a group of islands that includes Plum, Detroit, Hog, Pilot, Fish, and Rock Islands. These islands form the Town of Washington. Detroit Harbor bay is on the south side of the island. A large part of Washington Island's economy is based on tourism.[2]

Washington Island is approximately 5 miles (8 km) wide by 6 miles (10 km) long. Together with the Door Peninsula, Washington Island forms a treacherous strait that connects Green Bay to the rest of Lake Michigan. Early French explorers named this water way, now littered with shipwrecks, Porte des Morts, which literally means "Door of the Dead" or, more colloquially, "Death's Door", giving both Door County and Door Peninsula their names.[3]

## History

[edit]

Washington Island is one of a string of islands (which are an outcropping of the Niagara Escarpment) stretching across the entrance of Green Bay from the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin to the Garden Peninsula in Michigan. One early name is "Wassekiganeso," an Ojibwa name that translates to "his breast is shining" and apparently refers to the glint of the sun that at times reflects off the limestone cliffs.[4] Another Native American name is "Me-she-ne-mah-ke-ming" or "Leader Island".[5]

The earliest records and maps of the French, with whom written history of the region begins, do not name the individual islands, but refer to them all as a group. The names chosen depended on which group of Native Americans they found on the islands at the time. The most common name from after 1650 to 1816 was the Potawatomi Islands.[6] The Potawatomi appear to have first come to especially the southern islands in the string about 1641 (at which time they may figure into the naming of Porte des Morts), then left the area for a while, and then returned again and remained there for a considerable length of time. The French form of this name (also variously spelled) is l'Isle des Poux, based on a shortened form of the tribe's name. This shortened form also appears as "Pous" and is at times erroneously confused with Puans, which refers to the Winnebago.

Before 1800, however, a few other names were applied to these islands. The Jesuit Records of 1670–1672 refer to them as the Huron Islands. Other records of the time refer to them as the Noquet Islands, named for the small band of Ojibwa that lived in the area of what is now called Big Bay de Noc, as well as, for a time, on Washington Island.[7] Jonathan Carver, who traveled the area in the late 18th century, called them, simply, the Islands of the Grand Traverse.[8]

In July 1816, Col. John Miller garrisoned a new fort at the head of Green Bay to be called Fort Howard. Three schooners and one sloop sailed from Mackinac. They were the sloop Amelia and the schooners Wayne, Mink, and Washington, the last being the largest and flagship of the fleet, as well as, reportedly, the largest vessel on the lakes at the time.[9] The fleet was separated en route, and the Washington anchored in what is now Washington Harbor to wait for the others. With two days of waiting, some of the crew explored the island, and the officers, assuming theirs was the first ship to anchor there, named the harbor after the ship and in honor of President Washington. They also named various islands in the area after significant members of their party, with the name of Col. John Miller being honored on the largest island as Millers Island. Other members of the party included Maj. Talbot Chambers, John O'Fallon, and Joseph Kean. Chambers Island retains its name today, while Keans Island and Fallons Island are now called Rock and Detroit Islands, respectively.[10]

View from the north through the east from the currently closed[11] lookout tower at Mountain Park near center of island.

Not every map maker or journalist, however, knew of or paid attention to this. The names of Potawatomi and Louse continued to be used by many for many years, with a continued variety of spellings. At times Potawatomi was applied to the main island; sometimes to what is now Rock Island. At times the main island was missing from the map. When the lighthouse was built on Rock Island, it was called Pottawatomie Light, the name it has retained. While a few maps did chart either [?]ellens or Mellens Island (a possible corruption of Miller), the settlement of the island began with the fishers and craftsmen living around Washington Harbor. A large non-Native American presence did not begin until the 1830s, when settlers on their way to Green Bay heard of large sized trout. Most of these settlers were Icelandic and Irish.[12] These settlers commonly called the whole island by the name of their harbor and in the census of 1850, "Washington Island" appeared.[13]

The border between Wisconsin and Michigan was originally defined as "the most usual ship channel" into Green Bay from Lake Michigan but commercial routes existed both to the north and south of the island which led to a border dispute. In 1936, the U.S. Supreme Court decision Wisconsin v. Michigan found that Washington and other nearby islands were part of Wisconsin.

## Culture

[edit]

A majority of the people who settled on the island were Scandinavian immigrants, especially Icelanders. Today, Washington Island is one of the oldest Icelandic communities in the United States and among the largest outside Iceland itself.[3] Because of a loophole exploited during Prohibition by the owner of Nelsen's Hall (one of the few bars on the island at the time), taking shots of Angostura Bitters is a local tradition. Washington Island's population consumes more bitters than anyone else in the world.[14][15]

From 1896 to 1926, the economist Thorstein Veblen spent summers at his study cabin on Washington Island.[16] On the island he learned Icelandic, which allowed him to write articles accepted by an Icelandic newspaper[17] and translate the Laxdæla saga into English.[18]

In 1914, Washington Island was the setting for a juvenile fiction novel by Harry Lincoln Sayler under the pen name "Gordon Stuart".[19]

## Modern day

[edit]

Washington Island hosts the Midwest region's largest lavender farm,[20] accompanied by a biennial festival held in summer.[21] Two town parks,[22] one county park,[23] two town beaches,[24] one public boat ramp, and three State Natural Areas[25] dot the island. A fine arts school, the Sievers School of Fiber Arts, also calls the island home.[26] There is one commercial fisherman on the island.[27]

## Climate

[edit]

Washington Island has a humid continental climate[28] influenced to some degree by its offshore position in Lake Michigan. This results in summer temperatures being moderated, seasonal lag being prevalent and winters being less cold than in western Wisconsin on the same latitude.

Climate data for Washington Island, Wisconsin (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1944–present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 49
(9)  | 57
(14)  | 71
(22)  | 77
(25)  | 87
(31)  | 92
(33)  | 94
(34)  | 97
(36)  | 94
(34)  | 84
(29)  | 71
(22)  | 58
(14)  | 97
(36)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)  | 25.7
(−3.5)  | 27.5
(−2.5)  | 36.2
(2.3)  | 47.4
(8.6)  | 59.2
(15.1)  | 69.5
(20.8)  | 75.6
(24.2)  | 75.3
(24.1)  | 67.7
(19.8)  | 54.9
(12.7)  | 42.4
(5.8)  | 31.9
(−0.1)  | 51.1
(10.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)  | 18.2
(−7.7)  | 19.1
(−7.2)  | 27.9
(−2.3)  | 38.6
(3.7)  | 49.6
(9.8)  | 59.9
(15.5)  | 66.3
(19.1)  | 66.2
(19.0)  | 59.3
(15.2)  | 47.2
(8.4)  | 35.6
(2.0)  | 25.6
(−3.6)  | 42.8
(6.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)  | 10.8
(−11.8)  | 10.7
(−11.8)  | 19.6
(−6.9)  | 29.8
(−1.2)  | 40.0
(4.4)  | 50.4
(10.2)  | 56.9
(13.8)  | 57.2
(14.0)  | 50.8
(10.4)  | 39.6
(4.2)  | 28.8
(−1.8)  | 19.3
(−7.1)  | 34.5
(1.4)
Record low °F (°C)  | −27
(−33)  | −26
(−32)  | −26
(−32)  | 5
(−15)  | 20
(−7)  | 24
(−4)  | 35
(2)  | 32
(0)  | 26
(−3)  | 18
(−8)  | 1
(−17)  | −21
(−29)  | −27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm)  | 1.58
(40)  | 1.14
(29)  | 1.73
(44)  | 2.88
(73)  | 2.97
(75)  | 3.08
(78)  | 2.84
(72)  | 3.02
(77)  | 3.22
(82)  | 3.60
(91)  | 2.34
(59)  | 1.78
(45)  | 30.18
(767)
Average snowfall inches (cm)  | 15.0
(38)  | 13.0
(33)  | 9.5
(24)  | 5.7
(14)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.2
(0.51)  | 3.4
(8.6)  | 12.0
(30)  | 58.8
(149)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.0  | 7.7  | 7.8  | 9.6  | 11.4  | 10.3  | 9.7  | 9.3  | 9.8  | 11.7  | 9.3  | 9.7  | 116.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 8.7  | 6.9  | 4.9  | 2.4  | 0.1  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.2  | 2.6  | 6.5  | 32.3
Source: NOAA[29][30]

|  Washington Island

Climate chart (explanation)

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−12

−11

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [31]
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

1.4

0.9

1.6

2.4

3.2

3.1

3.2

3.2

2.6

2.3

1.5

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

## Transportation

[edit]

Washington Island is served by two ferry routes. The first route is to take a 30-minute ferry ride from the Door Peninsula to Detroit Harbor on the island from a freight, automobile, and passenger ferry that departs daily from the Northport Pier at the northern terminus of Wisconsin Highway 42.[32] The second route is a passenger-only ferry that departs from the unincorporated community of Gills Rock on a 20-minute route, which includes an optional bundled narrated train tour upon arriving on Washington Island.[33]

The Washington Island Airport, a small public airport with two grass runways, is located on the island.[34]

* Arni J. Richter car ferry

* Eyrarbakki car ferry.

* Robert Noble car ferry

* Washington car ferry

* Island Clipper passenger ferry

## Gallery

[edit]

* Nelsen's Hall

* Building at Sand Dunes Park

* Performing Arts Center

* School

* Lavender in July

* Fall color, October 20

## See also

[edit]

* Coffee Swamp
* Populated islands of the Great Lakes
* List of islands of the United States
* Washington Island Stavkirke
* Little Lake

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Washington Island (Wisconsin)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. ^ "Washington Island". washingtonisland.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
3. ^ a b "Washington Island: A Brief Island History".
4. ^ Eaton, Conan Bryant, The Naming: A Part of the History of Washington Island, Printed by the Door County Advocate, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 1966, page 1
5. ^ The Wisconsin Archeologist, Volume 16, No 4., page 114, section on "Place Names" and Romance of Wisconsin Place Names by Robert E. Gard and L. G. Sorden, New York: October House, Inc. 1968, page 134
6. ^ "A Brief Island History". washingtonisland.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
7. ^ Noquet Indian Tribe
8. ^ Eaton, C.B, p. 4
9. ^ Eaton, C.B., p.7
10. ^ Eaton, C.B., pp. 14-15
11. ^ Washington Island Residents Vote to Repair Island Tower by Debra Fitzgerald, November 17, 2021, Peninsula Pulse
12. ^ Moon Spotlight Wisconsin's Door County By Thomas Huhti
13. ^ Eaton, C.B., p. 16
14. ^ Kunkel, Leigh (2018-03-05). "How a Tiny Wisconsin Island Became the World's Biggest Consumer of Bitters". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2018-08-10.
15. ^ "Wisconsinites Drink an Ungodly Amount of Angostura — Blame It on a Prohibition Loophole". 23 March 2023.
16. ^ Ishida, Noriko (2021). "Thorstein Veblen on economic man: Toward a new method of describing human nature, society, and history" (PDF). Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review. 18 (2): 527–547\. doi:10.1007/s40844-020-00194-x.527-547&rft.date=2021&rft_id=info:doi/10.1007/s40844-020-00194-x&rft.aulast=Ishida&rft.aufirst=Noriko&rft_id=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40844-020-00194-x.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Washington+Island+(Wisconsin)" class="Z3988">
17. ^ Washington Island’s Thorstein Veblen by Esther V. Gunnerson, Master's Thesis, 1963, published washingtonisland.com
18. ^ Absentee Ownership and its Discontents: Critical Essays on the Legacy of Thorstein Veblen, edited by Michael Hudson and Ahmet Öncü, New York: ISLET-Verlag, 2016, essay on "Thorstein Veblen: An American Economic Perspective" by Michael Perelman, page 2 (page 18 of the pdf)
19. ^ Boy Scouts of the Air on the Great Lakes by Gordon Stuart, Chicago: Reilly & Britton, 1914 and Scene of Interesting Novel, Door County Advocate, January 16, 1925
20. ^ "The Largest Lavender Farm In The Midwest Calls Washington Island Home | Wisconsin Life". www.wisconsinlife.org. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
21. ^ "2018 Fragrant Isle "All Things Lavender" Festival Announcement". Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm & Shop. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
22. ^ Washington Island: Beaches & Parks, Town of Washington Island website
23. ^ Percy Johnson County Park, Door County Facilities and Parks
24. ^ "Beaches & Parks". washingtonisland.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
25. ^ Public Access Lands: Part of Door County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, December 18, 2019, page 11, (Archived May 6, 2022); for the third, which is town-owned marked and not named on the map, see Jackson Harbor Ridges (No. 110), Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, March 31, 2022 and Topo Map: Jackson Harbor Ridges State Natural Area Door County #110, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2022; for areas listed as nature preserves by the Door County Land Trust, see A Guide to the Washington Island Nature Preserves of the Door County Land Trust, Door County Land Trust, August 2015
26. ^ "Sievers School of Fiber Arts — Learn, refresh and reflect". sieversschool.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
27. ^ Meet the Last Fisherman of Washington Island by Tea Krulos, Milwaukee Magazine, June 8, 2022 and Washington Island’s last remaining commercial fisherman by Joy Powers and Kobe Brown, WUWM, June 9, 2022
28. ^ Zipcode 54246 - Washington Island Wisconsin is in Hardiness Zones 5b, plantmaps.com
29. ^ "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
30. ^ "Station: Washington IS, WI". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
31. ^ "NASA EarthData Search". NASA. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
32. ^ Washington Island Ferry
33. ^ "The Island Clipper & The Viking Train". www.islandclipper.com. Archived from the original on November 28, 1999. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
34. ^ "By Airplane". washingtonisland.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.

## External links

[edit]

* Washington Island Chamber of Commerce
* WashingtonIsland.com
* Door County Chamber of Commerce
* Washington Island Ferry Line Departing from Northport Pier
* The Island Clipper[usurped] Departing from Gills Rock
* Washington Island Airport Information

* v
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Lake Michigan Islands

Michigan|

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| Island groups|

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* Big Susie
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| Island groups|

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