Antelope Island State Park
Encyclopedia
Antelope Island State Park is a Utah state park on Antelope Island
in the Great Salt Lake
. The 28800 acres (11,655 ha) park is in Davis County
, Utah
in the United States. It is open for year-round recreation and features an abundant wildlife population, including one of the largest free roaming herds of American Bison
in the U.S. An effort to reintroduce Pronghorn Antelope
to the park has been a success. Other animals at the park include Bighorn Sheep
, Mule Deer
and a wide variety of waterfowl, wading birds and small mammals and reptiles. The park, at an elevation of 5308 feet (1,617.9 m), was established in 1969 when the northern portions of the island were designated as a state park. The Fielding Garr Ranch on the southern end of the island was added to the state park lands in 1981.
in Utah
to about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Paleolithic
people lived near the Great Basin
's wetlands, which had an abundance of fish, birds, and small game animals. Big game, including Giant Bison
, Mammoth
s and Ground Sloth
s, also were attracted to the water sources. Over the years, the megafauna
disappeared, while American Bison, Mule Deer and Pronghorn Antelope became more predominant.
Around 8000 BC, this population was replaced by the Desert Archaic people, who sheltered in caves near the Great Salt Lake
. Relying more on gathering than the previous Utah residents, their diet was largely made of cattails
and other salt tolerant plants such as pickleweed
, burro weed
and sedge
. Red meat appears to have been a luxury. The Desert Archaic people used nets and the atlatl
to hunt water fowl, small animals and Pronghorns. Artifacts include nets woven with rabbit skin and plant fibers, gaming sticks, woven sandals, and animal figures made from split-twigs. About 3,500 years ago, lake levels rose and the population of Desert Archaic people appears to have dramatically decreased.
Artifacts discovered at Antelope Island State Park show that the island was occupied by prehistoric peoples more than 6,000 years ago. There are forty freshwater
springs
on Antelope Island
. The Fielding Garr Ranch was built near the strongest and most consistent of the springs. Archaeologists have determined that human activity has taken place near these springs for at least 1,000 years.
to reach the island were John C. Fremont
and Kit Carson
. They explored Antelope Island
in 1845 and named the island for the herds of grazing Pronghorn Antelope. Captain Howard Stansbury
used the island as a base. He mapped the lake and attempted to locate where the waters of the lake drained in an attempt to find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean. The first permanent settler on the island was Fielding Garr. Garr was sent to the island by LDS Church to establish a ranch for the "church tithing herds." The ranch was owned and operated by the church until the 1870s for the purpose of providing funds for the Perpetual Emigration Fund
. This fund financed the immigration of Mormon converts from Europe to Utah. The ranch house, built in 1848, still stands and is the oldest Mormon-built home that is still on its original foundation, in Utah.
The building of the Transcontinental Railroad
in 1869 opened the rest of the island to settlement by homesteaders. The first federal surveys of the island revealed that only the area surrounding the Fielding Garr Ranch had been improved. This discovery gave the Federal Government the authority to open the island to settlement under the Homestead Act
. Settlement on the island was unsuccessful and by 1900 most of the settlers had not improved their claims and, except for the ranch, the island was free of human habitation.
John Dooly, Sr. purchased the island for one million dollars and established the Island Improvement Company. Dooly is responsible for the introduction of the Bison, and the foundation of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
. He brought twelve bison to the island. Four bulls, four cows, and four calves were transported by boat on February 15, 1893. At the time there were fewer than 1,000 head if Bison in all of North America
. Historians speculate that Dooly introduced the herd to the island for commercial purposes with the idea of establishing a rare opportunity for hunters to take the nearly extinct American Bison
. The twelve bison became the foundation of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
that numbers between 500-700 animals, making it one of the largest and oldest publicly owned American Bison
herds in the United States.
John Dooly, Jr. assumed responsibility for the day to day operation of the ranch in about 1902. He focusing on raising sheep. The Fielding Garr Ranch became one of the most industrialized and largest sheep ranching operations in the western United States. A failing wool
market in the 1950s caused a shift in focus on the ranch. Sheep were dropped in favor of cattle
. The cattle ranch worked as one of the largest cattle operations in Utah until 1984 when the ranch was sold to the state to go with 2000 acres (809.4 ha) of the island that had been purchased by the state in 1969. The last herds of cattle were removed from the island in 1984 after an extremely snowy winter that caused the death by starvation of about 350 heifers and calves. The meltwater from the heavy snows flooded the causeway, limiting access to the island. Ranchers resorted to hiring barge
s and making multiple trips from shore to island to salvage their stock.
The process of changing Antelope Island
from a privately owned ranch to a state park took many years. During the early 20th century there was talk of the island being acquired by the Federal Government for the establishment of a national park
. Later the focus turned to making the island a state park. The first successful bid towards the creation of a state park took place in 1969 when 2000 acres (809.4 ha) on the northern end of the island were acquired by the State of Utah. The final purchase of the Fielding Garr Ranch in 1981 led to the entirety of Antelope Island
being given protected status as Antelope Island State Park.
A. H. Leonard purchased the herd of bison from the Dooly family in 1926. Leonard intended to see the herd to zoos. He found it impossible to get the bison off the island due to the water level and the drafts
and sizes of the boats that were available to him. At this point he offered to sell the herd to the Federal Government if a national park were to be established on the island. Time Magazine cites "Congressional apathy" as being the reason the island and bison herd were not protected.
Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah asked the National Park Service consider the Great Salt Lake for inclusion in the National Park System in 1959. The study had high praise for Antelope Island as a potential national park, but found "little else worthwhile about the Great Salt Lake". The National Park service was concerned with a lack of planning by the State of Utah and the fact that the lake was used as a dumping site for municipal and industrial waste. The park service was impressed by the scenic and recreational possibilities of the northern end of Antelope Island
, describing it as the "most impressive site of the lake." The qualities of the island were not enough to persuade the park service to seek the creation of a national park encompassing the Great Salt Lake. The park service cited years of "mismanagement, apathy, and lack of any coordinated plan for its proper development." Sewage
from Salt Lake City that was being dumped untreated into the lake at the time and waste from a smelting
facility on the southern end of the lake were two of the greatest sources of pollution. The park service did express interest in safeguarding the lake since it is a remnant of the Pleistocene
. The park service also noted a lack of recreation on the lake and an inaction by the state to positively respond to an earlier request for the formation of a state park.
Antelope Island State Park was established in 1969 as Great Salt Lake State Park. At the time the facilities at the park were minimal. Temporary shower facilities were constructed and available for a "long weekend" over the Memorial Day
weekend of 1969. Boating facilities were also available on a limited basis.
In 1971 the directors of the Golden Spike Empire, Inc., a local civic group that sought to promote the Great Salt Lake area as a tourist destination, recommended that all of Antelope Island
be purchased. The group encouraged the development of the state park
on the northern end of the island. GSE encouraged the establishment of a National Monument on the remainder of the island. Davis County commissioners were against the establishment of a national monument citing the "look but don't touch" rules of national monuments. The local government was in favor of the state park and encouraged its development as a means of attracting tourists and increasing county revenues.
The Fielding Garr Ranch was purchased by the state in 1982 at a cost of $4.5 million. Access to the park was limited to a causeway
on the southern end of the park at Saltair
that was built in the 1950s. The park hosted a "moderate number" of visitors during the 1960s and 70s. Visitation came to a stop in 1983 when floodwaters washed out the southern causeway. Cars did not return to the park until 1993 when the northern causeway was opened.
. At more than 1,000 feet (305 m) deep and more than 19691 square miles (50,999.5 km²) in area
, the lake was nearly as large as Lake Michigan
and significantly deeper. With the change in climate, the lake began drying up, leaving Great Salt Lake
, Utah Lake
, Sevier Lake
, and Rush Lake
as remnants. As Lake Bonneville receded it left behind the Great Basin
, which is made of narrow mountain ranges and broad valleys, known locally as basins. The Great Salt Lake is endorheic
and has very high salinity
, far saltier than sea water. The Jordan
, Weber
, and Bear
rivers deposit around 1.1 million tons of minerals in the lake each year. Due to its high salt
concentration, most people can easily float in the lake as a result of the higher density
of the water. The Great Salt Lake is the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world, In an average year the lake covers an area of approximately 1700 square miles (4,403 km²), but the lake's size fluctuates due to low water levels. For example, in 1963 it reached its lowest recorded level at 950 square miles (2,460 km²), but in 1987 the surface area was at the historic high of 3300 square miles (8,547 km²).
is 28022 acres (11,340.1 ha) and is 15 miles (24.1 km) long and 4.5 miles (7.2 km) at its widest point. The island is in the midst of the Great Basin between the Wasatch and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. The highest point on the island is Frary Peak at 6589 feet (2,008.3 m) above sea level
. It is one of eight important islands in the lake. The others are Badger, Bird, Dolphin, Gunnison
, Carrington, Stansbury
and Fremont
. Two of the major islands, Gunnison and Bird, and two minor islands, Egg and White Rock are rookeries
and as such are protected. Visitor access is not permitted on the protected islands.
The rocks in and around the Fielding Garr Ranch are some of the oldest rocks in the United States. At 2.7 billion years old, they are older than the rocks in the bottom of the Grand Canyon
. Tintic Quartzite
is found on the northern third of the island. It is about 550 million years old. Tufa
rocks on the island are some of the youngest rocks in the United States. They were deposited as Lake Bonneville receded between 10,000 - 15,000 years ago. The tufa rocks resemble concrete
and are in the vicinity of Buffalo Point.
. Despite its name, the park is most famous for its herd of Bison
. The size of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
ranges from 550 to 700 animals and is controlled by an annual bison round-up. The Antelope Island Bison Herd
is one of the oldest and largest in the United States. The park is also home to Jackrabbits, Pronghorn
, Bobcat
s, Mule deer
, Coyote
s, and several species of rodents. The island and Great Salt Lake attract migrating birds. The inland grasslands on the island provide habitat for Chukar
s, Burrowing Owl
s, Long-billed Curlew
s and several species of birds of prey.
. At the time American Bison were nearly extinct in North America, having suffered years of over hunting and extermination during the settlement of the American West. Biologists estimate that as many as 60 million bison roamed the western United States prior to the lands being settled by Anglo American
s. These bison once inhabited the grassland
s of North America in massive herd
s; their range stretched across most of what is now the United States, from Florida
and New York
in the east and south to the Texas
/Mexico
border and the Yukon Territory in Canada
to the south and north and all the way west to the Pacific Coast
. The Bison were an important resource for the native tribes
of the western United States. The United States Government knew this and began a campaign to rid the plains of the Bison, thereby depriving the Native Americans of their most prized natural resource and making them dependent on handouts from the government. Without the Bison the Indians were forced to "seek peace". Some conservationists saw that destroying the Bison population was detrimental to the future of the nation and in 1874 Congress voted to stop the government sponsored slaughter. By the 1890s approximately 800 bison remained.
Dooly purchased the bison after Glassman had failed to establish a bison preserve on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake. Glassman had hope to attract tourists to the area with some of the few remaining bison in the United States at the time. His venture failed and he was forced to sell some of the herd at auction
. Dooly bought the bison with the intention of supplementing his income with private bison hunts. At approximately the same time a herd of elk
was brought to the island. The elk did not last very long due the island being a poor habitat for elk. However, due to the lack of a natural predator, the Gray Wolf
, the bison thrived on the island and the herd rapidly increased in size.
The island was opened for bison hunts beginning in 1896. The hunting of Bison on the island was limited to those who could afford the $200 requested by Dooly and his ancestors. Heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey
and 1920s sports writer Robert Edgren were just two of the celebrities that came to the island to shoot a bison. Bison hunting continued on the island until 1926 when the final "Big Buffalo Hunt" eliminated all but a few of the bison. Public sentiment changed during the 1920s and activists began to call for the protection of the herd on Antelope Island
.
The hunt of 1926 was covered by Time
. A herd of approximately 300-400 Bison was culled to about 50 to a large group of hunters on horseback with modern rifles. John Dooly had sold the herd to A. H. Leonard in 1924. Leonard intended to sell the Bison to zoos, but was not able to corral them. He next tried to offer the island and the Antelope Island Bison Herd
to the United States Department of the Interior. Leonard had hoped that a national park would be established on the island therefore preserving the herd. Time Magazine cites "Congressional apathy" for the lack of a land transfer. Leonard was one again forced to change his business plan. This time he wanted to expand the cattle ranching on the island and to do this the number of bison needed to be reduced. Leonard announced a that a hunt would be held in the fall of 1926. The hunt took place in November, but not without protests from around the nation. The New York World
and other newspapers of the day tried to arouse public sentiment against the hunt. Utah governor George Dern
received formal protests of the hunt from the American Humane Society
, Massachusetts
governor Alvan T. Fuller
and Boston
mayor Malcolm Nichols
. Governor Dern declined to prevent the hunt stating, "Antelope Island and the buffalo herd are privately owned." The hunt took place with noted participants Ralph and Edward Ammerman of Scranton
, Pennsylvania
and big game hunter J. O. Beebe of Omaha
, Nebraska
.
The Antelope Island Bison Herd
and the island remained in private hands until 1969 when the northern 2000 acres (809.4 ha) of the island were purchased by the state of Utah. The southern end of the island was acquired in 1981, granting the entire heard protected status on Antelope Island State Park. In 1986, park rangers saw the need to begin controlling the Bison population to prevent overgrazing and disease. The first roundup was held in 1987 and it has since become an annual event that brings in revenue by way of the sale of excess bison and tourist dollars brought in by spectators.
were introduced to Antelope Island State Park in the late 1990s. The herd on the island was gathered from herds in Nevada
and British Columbia
. Biologists at the park and with the state of Utah felt that Antelope Island
would be an "ideal oasis" for establishing a "nursery herd" of Bighorn. The sheep are protected from human threats on the island and can be used to reintroduce the Bighorn in areas throughout western North America. The target population for the herd on the island is about 125–150 head. When the numbers are greater than 150 the excess sheep are gathered and sent to new homes.
The nursery herd has largely been a success. The herd is thriving and it is providing the needed animals to re-establish or strengthen herds of Bighorn Sheep elsewhere. There are some problems. One is the lack of natural predators on the island. There are no cougars on the island and the sheep that grow up on Antelope Island
grow up without an "innate fear" of their primary predators on the lands away from the island. Another problem with moving the sheep is the financial cost of moving them off the island. It can cost up to $1,000 per animal. The sheep are moved by helicopter from the island and then by truck to their final destination. Also the sheep undergo a tremendous amount of stress with the move and biologists liken moving an animal from one place to another with transplanting organs in humans. The Bighorn are placed on public and private lands with the help of The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. The foundation buys grazing permits from domestic sheep ranchers. In exchange for the grazing rights the ranchers agree to remove their domestic herds.
between South
and North America
. Between four and six million birds nest and feed on the lake every year. The worlds larest populations of White-faced Ibis
and California Gull
s make their homes near the lake. A large population of Black-necked Stilt
s, American Avocet
s and newborn pelican
s are also found on and near the Great Salt Lake. Many of the birds come to Antelope Island State Park to feed on the abundant quantities of Brine flies
and Brine shrimp
.
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
in the Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
. The 28800 acres (11,655 ha) park is in Davis County
Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 306,479, a 28.2% increase over the 2000 figure of 238,994. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden–Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area as...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in the United States. It is open for year-round recreation and features an abundant wildlife population, including one of the largest free roaming herds of American Bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
in the U.S. An effort to reintroduce Pronghorn Antelope
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
to the park has been a success. Other animals at the park include Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, Mule Deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
and a wide variety of waterfowl, wading birds and small mammals and reptiles. The park, at an elevation of 5308 feet (1,617.9 m), was established in 1969 when the northern portions of the island were designated as a state park. The Fielding Garr Ranch on the southern end of the island was added to the state park lands in 1981.
Native Americans
Archeological evidence dates the earliest habitation of Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
people lived near the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
's wetlands, which had an abundance of fish, birds, and small game animals. Big game, including Giant Bison
Bison occidentalis
Bison occidentalis is an extinct species of bison that lived in North America during the Pleistocene. It probably evolved from Bison priscus. B. occidentalis was smaller and smaller horned than the steppe bison. Unlike any bison before it, its horns pointed upward, parallel to the plane of its face...
, Mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
s and Ground Sloth
Eremotherium
Eremotherium is an extinct genus of actively mobile ground sloth of the family Megatheriidae, endemic to North America and South America during the Pleistocene epoch...
s, also were attracted to the water sources. Over the years, the megafauna
Megafauna
In terrestrial zoology, megafauna are "giant", "very large" or "large" animals. The most common thresholds used are or...
disappeared, while American Bison, Mule Deer and Pronghorn Antelope became more predominant.
Around 8000 BC, this population was replaced by the Desert Archaic people, who sheltered in caves near the Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
. Relying more on gathering than the previous Utah residents, their diet was largely made of cattails
Typha
Typha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats...
and other salt tolerant plants such as pickleweed
Batis
Batis is a genus of two species of flowering plants, the only genus in the family Bataceae. They are halophytic plants, native to the coastal salt marshes of warm temperate and tropical America and tropical Australasia Batis (Turtleweed, Saltwort, Beachwort, or Pickleweed) is a genus of two...
, burro weed
Ambrosia dumosa
Ambrosia dumosa, the burro-weed or white bursage, is a common constituent of the creosote-bush scrub community throughout the Mojave desert of California, Nevada, and Utah and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northwestern Mexico....
and sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
. Red meat appears to have been a luxury. The Desert Archaic people used nets and the atlatl
Atlatl
An atlatl or spear-thrower is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart-throwing.It consists of a shaft with a cup or a spur at the end that supports and propels the butt of the dart. The atlatl is held in one hand, gripped near the end farthest from the cup...
to hunt water fowl, small animals and Pronghorns. Artifacts include nets woven with rabbit skin and plant fibers, gaming sticks, woven sandals, and animal figures made from split-twigs. About 3,500 years ago, lake levels rose and the population of Desert Archaic people appears to have dramatically decreased.
Artifacts discovered at Antelope Island State Park show that the island was occupied by prehistoric peoples more than 6,000 years ago. There are forty freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
on Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
. The Fielding Garr Ranch was built near the strongest and most consistent of the springs. Archaeologists have determined that human activity has taken place near these springs for at least 1,000 years.
Fielding Garr Ranch
The first Anglo-AmericansEnglish American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
to reach the island were John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
and Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
. They explored Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
in 1845 and named the island for the herds of grazing Pronghorn Antelope. Captain Howard Stansbury
Howard Stansbury
Howard Stansbury was a major in the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. His most notable achievement was leading a two-year expedition to survey the Great Salt Lake and its surroundings...
used the island as a base. He mapped the lake and attempted to locate where the waters of the lake drained in an attempt to find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean. The first permanent settler on the island was Fielding Garr. Garr was sent to the island by LDS Church to establish a ranch for the "church tithing herds." The ranch was owned and operated by the church until the 1870s for the purpose of providing funds for the Perpetual Emigration Fund
Perpetual Emigration Fund
The Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, commonly referred to as the Perpetual Emigration Fund , was a corporation established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849...
. This fund financed the immigration of Mormon converts from Europe to Utah. The ranch house, built in 1848, still stands and is the oldest Mormon-built home that is still on its original foundation, in Utah.
The building of the Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
in 1869 opened the rest of the island to settlement by homesteaders. The first federal surveys of the island revealed that only the area surrounding the Fielding Garr Ranch had been improved. This discovery gave the Federal Government the authority to open the island to settlement under the Homestead Act
Homestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
. Settlement on the island was unsuccessful and by 1900 most of the settlers had not improved their claims and, except for the ranch, the island was free of human habitation.
John Dooly, Sr. purchased the island for one million dollars and established the Island Improvement Company. Dooly is responsible for the introduction of the Bison, and the foundation of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
. He brought twelve bison to the island. Four bulls, four cows, and four calves were transported by boat on February 15, 1893. At the time there were fewer than 1,000 head if Bison in all of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Historians speculate that Dooly introduced the herd to the island for commercial purposes with the idea of establishing a rare opportunity for hunters to take the nearly extinct American Bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
. The twelve bison became the foundation of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
that numbers between 500-700 animals, making it one of the largest and oldest publicly owned American Bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
herds in the United States.
John Dooly, Jr. assumed responsibility for the day to day operation of the ranch in about 1902. He focusing on raising sheep. The Fielding Garr Ranch became one of the most industrialized and largest sheep ranching operations in the western United States. A failing wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
market in the 1950s caused a shift in focus on the ranch. Sheep were dropped in favor of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. The cattle ranch worked as one of the largest cattle operations in Utah until 1984 when the ranch was sold to the state to go with 2000 acres (809.4 ha) of the island that had been purchased by the state in 1969. The last herds of cattle were removed from the island in 1984 after an extremely snowy winter that caused the death by starvation of about 350 heifers and calves. The meltwater from the heavy snows flooded the causeway, limiting access to the island. Ranchers resorted to hiring barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s and making multiple trips from shore to island to salvage their stock.
Protected status
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
from a privately owned ranch to a state park took many years. During the early 20th century there was talk of the island being acquired by the Federal Government for the establishment of a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. Later the focus turned to making the island a state park. The first successful bid towards the creation of a state park took place in 1969 when 2000 acres (809.4 ha) on the northern end of the island were acquired by the State of Utah. The final purchase of the Fielding Garr Ranch in 1981 led to the entirety of Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
being given protected status as Antelope Island State Park.
A. H. Leonard purchased the herd of bison from the Dooly family in 1926. Leonard intended to see the herd to zoos. He found it impossible to get the bison off the island due to the water level and the drafts
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
and sizes of the boats that were available to him. At this point he offered to sell the herd to the Federal Government if a national park were to be established on the island. Time Magazine cites "Congressional apathy" as being the reason the island and bison herd were not protected.
Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah asked the National Park Service consider the Great Salt Lake for inclusion in the National Park System in 1959. The study had high praise for Antelope Island as a potential national park, but found "little else worthwhile about the Great Salt Lake". The National Park service was concerned with a lack of planning by the State of Utah and the fact that the lake was used as a dumping site for municipal and industrial waste. The park service was impressed by the scenic and recreational possibilities of the northern end of Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
, describing it as the "most impressive site of the lake." The qualities of the island were not enough to persuade the park service to seek the creation of a national park encompassing the Great Salt Lake. The park service cited years of "mismanagement, apathy, and lack of any coordinated plan for its proper development." Sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
from Salt Lake City that was being dumped untreated into the lake at the time and waste from a smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
facility on the southern end of the lake were two of the greatest sources of pollution. The park service did express interest in safeguarding the lake since it is a remnant of the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
. The park service also noted a lack of recreation on the lake and an inaction by the state to positively respond to an earlier request for the formation of a state park.
Antelope Island State Park was established in 1969 as Great Salt Lake State Park. At the time the facilities at the park were minimal. Temporary shower facilities were constructed and available for a "long weekend" over the Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend of 1969. Boating facilities were also available on a limited basis.
In 1971 the directors of the Golden Spike Empire, Inc., a local civic group that sought to promote the Great Salt Lake area as a tourist destination, recommended that all of Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
be purchased. The group encouraged the development of the state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
on the northern end of the island. GSE encouraged the establishment of a National Monument on the remainder of the island. Davis County commissioners were against the establishment of a national monument citing the "look but don't touch" rules of national monuments. The local government was in favor of the state park and encouraged its development as a means of attracting tourists and increasing county revenues.
The Fielding Garr Ranch was purchased by the state in 1982 at a cost of $4.5 million. Access to the park was limited to a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
on the southern end of the park at Saltair
Saltair, Utah
Saltair, also The SaltAir or Saltair Pavilion, is the name which has been given to several resorts located on the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, United States, about fifteen miles from Salt Lake City.-Saltair I:...
that was built in the 1950s. The park hosted a "moderate number" of visitors during the 1960s and 70s. Visitation came to a stop in 1983 when floodwaters washed out the southern causeway. Cars did not return to the park until 1993 when the northern causeway was opened.
Great Salt Lake
Antelope Island State Park is surrounded by the Great Salt Lake. The lake is the last remaining part of a vast inland Pleistocene sea, Lake BonnevilleLake Bonneville
Lake Bonneville was a prehistoric pluvial lake that covered much of North America's Great Basin region. Most of the territory it covered was in present-day Utah, though parts of the lake extended into present-day Idaho and Nevada. Formed about 32,000 years ago, it existed until about 14,500 years...
. At more than 1,000 feet (305 m) deep and more than 19691 square miles (50,999.5 km²) in area
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
, the lake was nearly as large as Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
and significantly deeper. With the change in climate, the lake began drying up, leaving Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
, Utah Lake
Utah Lake
Utah Lake is a freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Utah. On the western side of Utah Valley, the lake is overlooked by Mount Timpanogos and Mount Nebo. The lake's only river outlet, the Jordan River, is a tributary of the Great Salt Lake and is highly regulated with pumps. Evaporation accounts...
, Sevier Lake
Sevier Lake
Sevier Lake is an intermittent and endorheic lake which lies in the lowest part of the Sevier Desert, Millard County, Utah. Like Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake, it is a remnant of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville. Sevier Lake is fed primarily by the Beaver and Sevier rivers, and the additional inflow...
, and Rush Lake
Rush Lake (Utah)
Rush Lake is a shallow saline lake in Tooele County in the U.S. state of Utah. It is a 16,800 year old remnant of Lake Bonneville, an ancient lake that formed approximately 32,000 years ago...
as remnants. As Lake Bonneville receded it left behind the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, which is made of narrow mountain ranges and broad valleys, known locally as basins. The Great Salt Lake is endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
and has very high salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
, far saltier than sea water. The Jordan
Jordan River (Utah)
The Jordan River in the U.S. state of Utah is a river about long. Regulated by pumps at its headwaters at Utah Lake, it flows northward through the Salt Lake Valley and empties into the Great Salt Lake. Four of Utah's five largest cities—Salt Lake City, West Valley City, West Jordan and...
, Weber
Weber River
The Weber River is a c. long river of northern Utah, USA. It begins in the northwest of the Uinta Mountains and empties into the Great Salt Lake. The Weber River was named for American fur trapper John Henry Weber.-Weber River:...
, and Bear
Bear River (Utah)
The Bear River is a river, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern Utah, in the United States. The largest tributary of the Great Salt Lake, it drains a mountainous area and farming valleys northeast of the lake and southeast of the Snake River Plain...
rivers deposit around 1.1 million tons of minerals in the lake each year. Due to its high salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
concentration, most people can easily float in the lake as a result of the higher density
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...
of the water. The Great Salt Lake is the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world, In an average year the lake covers an area of approximately 1700 square miles (4,403 km²), but the lake's size fluctuates due to low water levels. For example, in 1963 it reached its lowest recorded level at 950 square miles (2,460 km²), but in 1987 the surface area was at the historic high of 3300 square miles (8,547 km²).
Geology
Antelope IslandAntelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
is 28022 acres (11,340.1 ha) and is 15 miles (24.1 km) long and 4.5 miles (7.2 km) at its widest point. The island is in the midst of the Great Basin between the Wasatch and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. The highest point on the island is Frary Peak at 6589 feet (2,008.3 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It is one of eight important islands in the lake. The others are Badger, Bird, Dolphin, Gunnison
Gunnison Island
Gunnison Island is located in the northwest quadrant of the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. State of Utah , approximately 55 miles northwest from Salt Lake City and about 6 miles east from the lake's western shore. Approximately 1 mile long and a half-mile wide, Gunnison Island is best known as an...
, Carrington, Stansbury
Stansbury Island
Stansbury Island is the second largest island within the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. Located in Tooele County, it is considered an island even though a dirt causeway connects it to the main land. Stansbury Island was named after Howard Stansbury, the leader of a government expedition that...
and Fremont
Fremont Island
Fremont Island, at , is the third largest island within the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. Antelope Island, at in area, is the largest island within the Great Salt Lake.-Flora:...
. Two of the major islands, Gunnison and Bird, and two minor islands, Egg and White Rock are rookeries
Rookery
A rookery is a colony of breeding animals, generally birds. A rook is a Northern European and Central Asian member of the crow family, which nest in prominent colonies at the tops of trees. The term is applied to the nesting place of birds, such as crows and rooks, the source of the term...
and as such are protected. Visitor access is not permitted on the protected islands.
The rocks in and around the Fielding Garr Ranch are some of the oldest rocks in the United States. At 2.7 billion years old, they are older than the rocks in the bottom of the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
. Tintic Quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
is found on the northern third of the island. It is about 550 million years old. Tufa
Tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
rocks on the island are some of the youngest rocks in the United States. They were deposited as Lake Bonneville receded between 10,000 - 15,000 years ago. The tufa rocks resemble concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and are in the vicinity of Buffalo Point.
Wildlife
Antelope Island State Park provides a habitat for a wide variety of wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
. Despite its name, the park is most famous for its herd of Bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
. The size of the Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
ranges from 550 to 700 animals and is controlled by an annual bison round-up. The Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
is one of the oldest and largest in the United States. The park is also home to Jackrabbits, Pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
, Bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s, Mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, Coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, and several species of rodents. The island and Great Salt Lake attract migrating birds. The inland grasslands on the island provide habitat for Chukar
Chukar
The Chukar Partridge or Chukar is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the Rock Partridge, Philby's Partridge and Przevalski's Partridge and treated in the past as conspecific particularly with the first...
s, Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
s, Long-billed Curlew
Long-billed Curlew
The Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species is native to central and western North America...
s and several species of birds of prey.
Bison
John Dooly, owner of the island in 1893, with the help of William Glassman brought a herd of twelve bison to Antelope IslandAntelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
. At the time American Bison were nearly extinct in North America, having suffered years of over hunting and extermination during the settlement of the American West. Biologists estimate that as many as 60 million bison roamed the western United States prior to the lands being settled by Anglo American
Anglo-America
Anglo-America is a region in the Americas in which English is a main language, or one which has significant British historical, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural links...
s. These bison once inhabited the grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s of North America in massive herd
Herd
Herd refers to a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic, and also to the form of collective animal behavior associated with this or as a verb, to herd, to its control by another species such as humans or dogs.The term herd is generally applied to mammals,...
s; their range stretched across most of what is now the United States, from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the east and south to the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
/Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border and the Yukon Territory in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to the south and north and all the way west to the Pacific Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. The Bison were an important resource for the native tribes
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
of the western United States. The United States Government knew this and began a campaign to rid the plains of the Bison, thereby depriving the Native Americans of their most prized natural resource and making them dependent on handouts from the government. Without the Bison the Indians were forced to "seek peace". Some conservationists saw that destroying the Bison population was detrimental to the future of the nation and in 1874 Congress voted to stop the government sponsored slaughter. By the 1890s approximately 800 bison remained.
Dooly purchased the bison after Glassman had failed to establish a bison preserve on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake. Glassman had hope to attract tourists to the area with some of the few remaining bison in the United States at the time. His venture failed and he was forced to sell some of the herd at auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
. Dooly bought the bison with the intention of supplementing his income with private bison hunts. At approximately the same time a herd of elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
was brought to the island. The elk did not last very long due the island being a poor habitat for elk. However, due to the lack of a natural predator, the Gray Wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, the bison thrived on the island and the herd rapidly increased in size.
The island was opened for bison hunts beginning in 1896. The hunting of Bison on the island was limited to those who could afford the $200 requested by Dooly and his ancestors. Heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
and 1920s sports writer Robert Edgren were just two of the celebrities that came to the island to shoot a bison. Bison hunting continued on the island until 1926 when the final "Big Buffalo Hunt" eliminated all but a few of the bison. Public sentiment changed during the 1920s and activists began to call for the protection of the herd on Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
.
The hunt of 1926 was covered by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
. A herd of approximately 300-400 Bison was culled to about 50 to a large group of hunters on horseback with modern rifles. John Dooly had sold the herd to A. H. Leonard in 1924. Leonard intended to sell the Bison to zoos, but was not able to corral them. He next tried to offer the island and the Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
to the United States Department of the Interior. Leonard had hoped that a national park would be established on the island therefore preserving the herd. Time Magazine cites "Congressional apathy" for the lack of a land transfer. Leonard was one again forced to change his business plan. This time he wanted to expand the cattle ranching on the island and to do this the number of bison needed to be reduced. Leonard announced a that a hunt would be held in the fall of 1926. The hunt took place in November, but not without protests from around the nation. The New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
and other newspapers of the day tried to arouse public sentiment against the hunt. Utah governor George Dern
George Dern
George Henry Dern was an American politician, mining man, and businessman. He is probably best remembered for co-inventing the Holt–Dern ore roasting process, as well as for his tenure as United States Secretary of War from 1933 to his death in 1936. He also served as the sixth Governor of Utah...
received formal protests of the hunt from the American Humane Society
Humane Society
A humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
governor Alvan T. Fuller
Alvan T. Fuller
Alvan Tufts Fuller was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. He became one of the wealthiest men in America, with an automobile dealership which in 1920 was recognized as "the world's most successful auto dealership." He was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
mayor Malcolm Nichols
Malcolm Nichols
Malcolm E. Nichols was a Journalist and a U.S. political figure. Nichols served as the mayor of Boston in the late 1920s as well as the last Republican to serve in that post to date.-Family life:...
. Governor Dern declined to prevent the hunt stating, "Antelope Island and the buffalo herd are privately owned." The hunt took place with noted participants Ralph and Edward Ammerman of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and big game hunter J. O. Beebe of Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.
The Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island Bison Herd
Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
and the island remained in private hands until 1969 when the northern 2000 acres (809.4 ha) of the island were purchased by the state of Utah. The southern end of the island was acquired in 1981, granting the entire heard protected status on Antelope Island State Park. In 1986, park rangers saw the need to begin controlling the Bison population to prevent overgrazing and disease. The first roundup was held in 1987 and it has since become an annual event that brings in revenue by way of the sale of excess bison and tourist dollars brought in by spectators.
Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn SheepBighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
were introduced to Antelope Island State Park in the late 1990s. The herd on the island was gathered from herds in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Biologists at the park and with the state of Utah felt that Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
would be an "ideal oasis" for establishing a "nursery herd" of Bighorn. The sheep are protected from human threats on the island and can be used to reintroduce the Bighorn in areas throughout western North America. The target population for the herd on the island is about 125–150 head. When the numbers are greater than 150 the excess sheep are gathered and sent to new homes.
The nursery herd has largely been a success. The herd is thriving and it is providing the needed animals to re-establish or strengthen herds of Bighorn Sheep elsewhere. There are some problems. One is the lack of natural predators on the island. There are no cougars on the island and the sheep that grow up on Antelope Island
Antelope Island
Antelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
grow up without an "innate fear" of their primary predators on the lands away from the island. Another problem with moving the sheep is the financial cost of moving them off the island. It can cost up to $1,000 per animal. The sheep are moved by helicopter from the island and then by truck to their final destination. Also the sheep undergo a tremendous amount of stress with the move and biologists liken moving an animal from one place to another with transplanting organs in humans. The Bighorn are placed on public and private lands with the help of The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. The foundation buys grazing permits from domestic sheep ranchers. In exchange for the grazing rights the ranchers agree to remove their domestic herds.
Birds
The wetlands surrounding the Great Salt Lake account for nearly 80% of the wetlands in Utah. The lake and surrounding wetlands are home to over 250 species of birds and form a stop over on the Pacific FlywayPacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to...
between South
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Between four and six million birds nest and feed on the lake every year. The worlds larest populations of White-faced Ibis
White-faced Ibis
The White-faced Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This species breeds colonially in marshes, usually nesting in bushes or low trees. Its breeding range extends from the western USA south through Mexico, as well as from southeastern Brazil and southeastern Bolivia south to...
and California Gull
California Gull
The California Gull Larus californicus is a medium-sized gull, smaller on average than the Herring Gull but larger on average than the Ring-billed Gull, though may overlap in size greatly with both....
s make their homes near the lake. A large population of Black-necked Stilt
Black-necked Stilt
The Black-necked Stilt is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. It is found from the coastal areas of California through much of the interior western United States and along the Gulf of Mexico as far east as Florida, then south through Central America and the Caribbean...
s, American Avocet
American Avocet
The American Avocet is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.This avocet has long, thin, gray legs, giving it its colloquial name, "blue shanks". The plumage is black and white on the back with white on the underbelly. The neck and head are cinnamon colored in the summer...
s and newborn pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s are also found on and near the Great Salt Lake. Many of the birds come to Antelope Island State Park to feed on the abundant quantities of Brine flies
Ephydridae
Ephydridae is a family of insects in the order Diptera.Shore flies are tiny flies that can be found near seashores or at smaller inland waters, such as ponds...
and Brine shrimp
Brine shrimp
Artemia is a genus of aquatic crustaceans known as brine shrimp. Artemia, the only genus in the family Artemiidae, has changed little externally since the Triassic period...
.
Recreation
Antelope Island State Park is open for year round recreation. It features a marina, beach, campground and hiking trails. Tourists pay a fee to access the park via the islands causeways. The northern 2000 acres (809.4 ha) are developed. There are several campsites, a day use area, swimming area, and picnic areas near Bridger Bay on the northwestern end of the island. There is a restaurant on Buffalo Point. The rest of the park is largely undeveloped. A few old roads cross the island and so do some hiking trails. The remnants of old mining claims and the Fielding Garr Ranch are open to park visitors. There are plans to construct a historic boat display at the marina.Annual special events
- Great Salt Lake Bird Festival - May
- Moonlight Bike Ride - June/July
- Balloon Stampede - September
- Buffalo Days - September
- The Bison Range Ride and Roundup - held every autumn attracts tourists from around the United States and the World. Bison are herded from the southern end of the island to holding pens on the northern end of the island. There the Bison are vaccinated for parasites, infectious bovine rhino tracheitis, clostridiumClostridiumClostridium is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, belonging to the Firmicutes. They are obligate anaerobes capable of producing endospores. Individual cells are rod-shaped, which gives them their name, from the Greek kloster or spindle...
and bovine vibriosis. DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
and blood samples are taken. The Bison are tagged with microchips and weighed and measured. The female Bison are also vaccinated for brucellosisBrucellosisBrucellosis, also called Bang's disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Maltese fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, or undulant fever, is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals or close contact with their secretions...
and checked for pregnancy. With the goal of keeping the herd at a manageable level the excess bison, about 150 - 200 head, are auctioned off in an annual sale that nets about $120,000 for the park.
See also
- Antelope IslandAntelope IslandAntelope Island, with an area of , is the largest island of 10 islands located within the Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. The island lies in the southeastern portion of the lake, near Salt Lake City and Davis County, and becomes a peninsula when the lake is at extremely low levels. Antelope...
- Fielding Garr RanchFielding Garr RanchThe Fielding Garr Ranch is a ranch located on the southeastern portion of Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA and is part of the Utah State Parks system....
- Antelope Island Bison HerdAntelope Island Bison HerdAntelope Island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States of America is part of Antelope Island State Park. On the island, a semi-free ranging population of "Buffaloes" or American Bison have been in existence since 1893. Though the island was named for the Pronghorn Antelope that John C...
- Fremont IslandFremont IslandFremont Island, at , is the third largest island within the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. Antelope Island, at in area, is the largest island within the Great Salt Lake.-Flora:...
- Stansbury IslandStansbury IslandStansbury Island is the second largest island within the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. Located in Tooele County, it is considered an island even though a dirt causeway connects it to the main land. Stansbury Island was named after Howard Stansbury, the leader of a government expedition that...