The following is a description of islands in the Detroit River. The Detroit River is a major waterway in the Great Lakes system, and it flows for 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) from Lake St. Clair south to Lake Erie. The river serves as a major shipping channel, jointly controlled by the United States and Canada, and it is a major component of the Canada–United States border. The majority of islands are on the American side of the river, which are all within Wayne County in Michigan. The Canadian islands are part of Essex County in Ontario. There are no islands in the Detroit River that are divided by the international border, as Michigan and Ontario share no land borders at any point.
The island is a very popular tourist destination that contains a number of historic structures and events. The entire island is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places and also as a Michigan State Historic Site. The island itself also contains several lakes, including the Blue Heron Lagoon, Lake Muskoday, Lake Okonoda, Lake Takoma, and several artificial canals. These lakes also contain several unnamed recursive islands (islands within an island).[3]
Edmond Island (42°05′01″N83°11′41″W / 42.08361°N 83.19472°W / 42.08361; -83.19472 (Edmond Island)) is an artificial island within the city of Gibraltar. It separated from the mainland by a narrow canal and is connected to the mainland by a single bridge that carries Young Drive. The island sits at an elevation of 577 feet (176 m) above sea level.[11] It is one of the main populated islands of Gibraltar, and it is sometimes spelled as Edmund Island.[12]
Elizabeth Park (42°07′56″N83°10′49″W / 42.13222°N 83.18028°W / 42.13222; -83.18028 (Elizabeth Park)) is an artificial island within the city of Trenton. The island is located on the western shores of the Trenton Channel and sits at an elevation of 591 feet (180 m) above sea level.[15] Once connected to the mainland, it was set off by the construction of a canal by landowner Giles Bryan Slocum in the mid-nineteenth century.[16] The island became known as Slocum's Island, and the property was donated to the county in 1918. The Slocum's Island name has now largely fallen into disuse. Today, the island encompasses the 162-acre (65.6 ha) Elizabeth Park on the northern end and the Trenton Channel Power Plant on the south. The two are separated by the Grosse Ile Parkway, which carries the Wayne County Bridge leading to Grosse Ile.[17]
Grassy Island sits at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m).[20] It once contained the former Grassy Island Light. Grassy Island should not be confused with another island on the opposite side of the river named Grass Island, which is part of Ontario.
Grosse Ile (42°07′36″N83°09′33″W / 42.12667°N 83.15917°W / 42.12667; -83.15917 (Grosse Ile)) is the largest island in the Detroit River. The island sits at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level in the southern portion of the river.[21] The island itself has no precise area or population statistics, although it is approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) long and 1.0 mile (1.6 km) wide. Grosse Ile is the main island within Grosse Ile Township, and it is often referred to as the "big island" or "main island" to distinguish it from the township as a whole, which contains a dozen individual islands.
Grosse Ile connects to the mainland by the Wayne County Bridge in the middle of the island and the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge on the northern end. The Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is located on the southern end of the island. The island also contains a number of smaller bridges that traverse the island's canals and connect to the smaller islands to the south. Grosse Ile contains numerous historic structures and is primarily residential with little economic development. The island is bisected by the Thorofare Canal and another canal that separates the undeveloped northern portion of the island referred to as Hennepin Point.[22][23] The 40-acre (16.2 ha) Gibraltar Bay Unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is located in the southeast portion of the island.[24][25]
Horse Island (42°04′55″N83°11′08″W / 42.08194°N 83.18556°W / 42.08194; -83.18556 (Horse Island)) is a narrow and elongated island within the city of Gibraltar. It is the city's southeasternmost island and sits at an elevation of 571 feet (174 m) above sea level.[28] The island is densely populated and contains a single roadway. It is connected to the mainland by the Horse Island Drive Bridge, which is 46 feet (14 m) long and was constructed in 1925.[29] The island received its name from early settlers who would leave their horses to feed and mate on the island during the summer months.[12]
Mamajuda Island (42°11′32″N83°08′10″W / 42.19222°N 83.13611°W / 42.19222; -83.13611 (Mamajuda Island)) was an island located just east of the northern tip of Grosse Ile (Hennepin Point) within Grosse Ile Township. The island was once 30 acres (12.1 ha) in size and contained the historic Mama Juda Lighthouse, which was first built in 1849. The lighthouse was lost by increased erosion in the 1950s, and the entire island itself disappeared soon after. The island was also known as Mammy Juda Island and sits at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level.[31] Although the island is gone, it is still listed on some online maps and may surface during times of low water levels.[32]
Beginning in the 1880s, Sugar Island became a popular resort location, and it eventually contained an amusement park and other entertainment venues. Ferry services brought guest to and from the island until the 1940s when the amusement park closed. The island soon fell into disuse and ruins. In 2012, the deserted island was purchased by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and soon after included as a unit in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The island contains no structures, and access to the island is restricted.[42]
Zug Island (42°17′02″N83°06′43″W / 42.28389°N 83.11194°W / 42.28389; -83.11194 (Zug Island)) is a 334-acre (1.35 km2) island in the city of River Rouge just south of the city of Detroit. It sits at an elevation of 581 feet (177 m) above sea level.[44] Zug Island is an artificial island that was once connected to the mainland at the mouth of the River Rouge, but its original landowner had a small canal created to set the land off as an island. In 1902, the island became site of several steel mills during the age of rapid industrial development along the Detroit River. Today, Zug Island houses a large steel mill owned by U.S. Steel, and public access is strictly prohibited.[45]
In 1836, the Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse were constructed on the island as an aid to navigation at the mouth of the Detroit River. The island then served as a military outpost.[46] The lighthouse was decommissioned in the late 1950s, but the structures remain to this day.[47] The island is most famously known as the location for the Boblo Island Amusement Park, which operated from 1898 to 1993. Ferries services routinely brought Americans to the island from the Boblo Island Detroit Dock further upstream. The island has no bridges connecting to the mainland; local ferries continue to serve the residents that now live in upscale housing on the northside of the island. The southside, where the amusement park once stood, remains undeveloped. The island is accessible to the public.[48]
Crystal Island
Crystal Island (42°07′21″N83°07′17″W / 42.12250°N 83.12139°W / 42.12250; -83.12139 (Crystal Island)) is an artificial island located directly across the international border from Stony Island.[6] Though it is uninhabited, it is part of the town of Amherstburg. Similar to Stony Island, it was created to provide and mark a deeper shipping lane, and the island has a very irregular shape. Crystal Island's odd shape created a pristine inlet known as Crystal Bay. The small bay is protected by the island from the river's current and pollution, thus creating an unusually calm and clear shelter. While the island itself is off limits since it serves as a nature preserve, the bay is a popular destination for boaters and fishermen.[49][50][51]
The island originally had a small indigenous population before it was purchased by the Michigan Alkali Company in 1918. The company used the island as a dumping ground for waste. The island served as a dumping ground until at least 1982. In 1989, it was reported that 80% of the island was covered in highly acidic brine waste, which also caused dust clouds to travel to nearby communities. BASF purchased the company (by then Wyandotte Chemical Company) in the early 1970s,[52] and has since done a large-scale cleanup and restoration of the island. The island remains undeveloped and serves as a growing nature refuge and educational retreat.[53][54]
Peche Island (42°20′45″N82°55′31″W / 42.34583°N 82.92528°W / 42.34583; -82.92528 (Peche Island)) is an 86-acre (34.8 ha) island at the very beginning of the Detroit River at Lake St. Clair. It is within the city of Windsor. It is the easternmost island in the river and is just east of Belle Isle. Peche Island was historically known by its French names Isle aux Pêcheurs (Fisherman Island) and Isle a la Pêche (Fishing Island), but it was sometimes referred to as Peach Island due to the English pronunciation.[56][57]
The island was originally privately owned and used as a lavish summer residence for Hiram Walker and later others. Later owners attempted to profit and turn the island into an amusement park and resort destination similar to Belle Isle and Boblo Island Amusement Park, but these plans never came to fruition. The island was eventually sold to the Province of Ontario and converted into a provincial park in 1974, but the island had no future plans. The City of Windsor purchased the unused island in 1999. The island has since remained undeveloped and serves as a nature preserve and city park.[57][58]