St. Martin Island
Encyclopedia
St. Martin Island is located off the Garden Peninsula
in Delta County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is the southernmost island in Michigan that is part of a line of islands at the mouth of the bay of Green Bay and is part of the Niagara Escarpment
.
in Wisconsin is approximately six miles south-southwest, across the Rock Island Passage. It is 18 miles (29 km) from the Door County Peninsula.
In 1864 the Peninsula Railroad was completed to connect Escanaba, Michigan
to Negaunee
iron mines. Escanaba's maritime commerce "exploded as vessels loaded with ore left the growing port headed for the hungry steel mills along the shores of the eastern lakes." The island and the surrounding reef
s are a hazard to navigation, and as early as 1891, the United States Lighthouse Board
asked Congress for appropriations to build a light there.
The request for a lighthouse was necessitated by the existence of a shoal
that extends out for a mile each way from the island. It took the U.S. Congress eight years to appropriate the funds. St. Martin Island Light
was constructed in 1905
. There is the St. Martin Island at 45°57′42"N 84°34′19"W, which along with Little Saint Martin Island at 45°56′47"N 84°33′53"W and Big Saint Martin Island at 45°58′06"N 84°37′41"W form the St. Martin Islands group in the St. Martin Bay.
Garden Peninsula
The Garden Peninsula is a peninsula of in length that extends southwestward into Lake Michigan from the mainland of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The peninsula is bordered by Lake Michigan on the east, and by Big Bay de Noc on the west. The base of the peninsula is served by U.S. Highway 2, and...
in Delta County
Delta County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is the southernmost island in Michigan that is part of a line of islands at the mouth of the bay of Green Bay and is part of the Niagara Escarpment
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...
.
Geography
Gravelly Island, Gull Island, and Little Gull Island are approximately two miles to the north and east across the St. Martin Island Passage. Rock IslandRock Island (Wisconsin)
Rock Island is a wooded island off the tip of Wisconsin's Door Peninsula at the mouth of Green Bay. The uninhabited island is almost entirely owned by the Wisconsin DNR, which maintains Rock Island State Park. It is the northernmost part of the Town of Washington.-History:Rock Island was...
in Wisconsin is approximately six miles south-southwest, across the Rock Island Passage. It is 18 miles (29 km) from the Door County Peninsula.
History
Robert W. Warner of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin was the first pilot to land on St. Martin Island back in the early 1950s. To this day, no one else has ventured out to the island by air.In 1864 the Peninsula Railroad was completed to connect Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
to Negaunee
Negaunee, Michigan
Negaunee is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,576 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township. The city is home to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum...
iron mines. Escanaba's maritime commerce "exploded as vessels loaded with ore left the growing port headed for the hungry steel mills along the shores of the eastern lakes." The island and the surrounding reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s are a hazard to navigation, and as early as 1891, the United States Lighthouse Board
United States Lighthouse Board
The United States Lighthouse Board was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States...
asked Congress for appropriations to build a light there.
The request for a lighthouse was necessitated by the existence of a shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
that extends out for a mile each way from the island. It took the U.S. Congress eight years to appropriate the funds. St. Martin Island Light
St. Martin Island Light
St. Martin Island Light is a unique exoskeleton lighthouse that marks one of four passages between Lake Michigan and the bay of Green Bay. Constructed in 1905, this light tower is the only example in the United States of a pure exoskeletal tower on the Great Lakes. Similar designs do exist in...
was constructed in 1905
Note
"St. Martin Island" may also refer to islands in Mackinac County, MichiganMackinac County, Michigan
-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
. There is the St. Martin Island at 45°57′42"N 84°34′19"W, which along with Little Saint Martin Island at 45°56′47"N 84°33′53"W and Big Saint Martin Island at 45°58′06"N 84°37′41"W form the St. Martin Islands group in the St. Martin Bay.