The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
national lakeshore consisting of 21 islands (
Apostle Islands
The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior, off the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin. The majority of the islands are located in Ashland County—only Sand, York, Eagle, and Raspberry Islands are located in Ba ...
) and shoreline encompassing
on the northern tip of
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
on the shore of
Lake Superior
Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
.
It is known for its collection of historic lighthouses, sandstone
sea caves
A sea cave, also known as a littoral cave, is a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion. Sea caves are found throughout the world, actively forming along present coastlines and as relic ...
, a few
old-growth
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...
remnant forests, and natural animal habitats. It is featured on the
America the Beautiful Quarters series.
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is located in
Bayfield, Wisconsin
Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 584 at the 2020 census. This makes it the city with the smallest population in Wisconsin. In fact, for a new city to be incorporated today, state regulations re ...
, on Lake Superior, the "largest, cleanest, and coldest of the Great Lakes." The lakeshore comprises beaches, cliffs, water, and 21 islands.
Madeline Island
''Madeline'' is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian-American author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series a ...
, with commercial establishments of the town of
La Pointe, is the only one of the Apostle Islands not included in the national lakeshore, although a portion of the island is protected as
Big Bay State Park
Big Bay State Park is a state park of Wisconsin, United States, on Madeline Island, the largest of 22 Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. The park has picturesque sandstone bluffs and caves and a sand beach. It encloses unique habitat types incl ...
.
Ecologically, the islands contain some
old growth
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance (ecology), disturbance, and thereby exhibits un ...
, but primarily
secondary
Secondary may refer to: Science and nature
* Secondary emission, of particles
** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products
* The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...
Northern hardwood forest
The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south-central Canada, Ontario, and Quebec, extending south into the United States in northern New England, New York, and Pennsyl ...
. There are elements of the oak, hickory, and hemlock
hardwood forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions.
These f ...
of the eastern United States, but also features of the
Boreal forest
Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, ...
typical of Ontario. Larger wildlife on the islands and surrounding area include
whitetail deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
,
black bear
Black bear or Blackbear may refer to:
Animals
* American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species
* Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species
Music
* Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
,
red fox
The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...
, and
coyote
The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...
. Smaller mammals such as
squirrels
Squirrels are members of the family (biology), family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flyi ...
,
beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
,
otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
,
snowshoe hare
The snowshoe hare (''Lepus americanus''), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sink ...
, and
voles
Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of low-c ...
are also present. Avian species in the wilderness include
waterfowl
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...
,
ruffed grouse
The ruffed grouse (''Bonasa umbellus'') is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is non-migratory. It is the only specie ...
, and
woodcock
The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus ''Scolopax''. The genus name is Latin for a snipe or woodcock, and until around 1800 was used to refer to a variety of waders. The English name ...
.
Islands
Beginning in the west, going north around the outer islands, then west, then east, ending with the southernmost island, the islands are:
*
Eagle Island
*
Sand Island
A sand island is an island that is largely made of sand. The largest sand island in the world is Fraser Island, Australia. Other examples of large sand islands are Moreton Moreton may refer to:
People Given name
* Moreton John Wheatley (183 ...
– dock, ranger station, camping and
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
*
York Island – camping
*
Bear Island
*
Devils Island – dock,
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
, and camping
*
Rocky Island – dock, ranger station, and camping
*
South Twin Island – dock and camping
*
North Twin Island Twin Islands, or minor variations thereof, may refer to:
;In Canada
* Twin Islands (British Columbia)
* Twin Islands (Nunavut)
** North Twin Island (Nunavut)
** South Twin Island (Nunavut)
*Twin Islands, of Eagle Lake (Ontario)
Eagle Lake is a ...
*
Outer Island – dock,
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
, and camping
*
Cat Island – camping
*
Ironwood Island – camping
*
Otter Island – dock and camping
*
Raspberry Island – dock, ranger station, and
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
*
Oak Island – dock, ranger station, and camping
*
Manitou Island – dock, ranger station, Manitou fish camp, and camping
*
Stockton Island
:''Stockton Islands is also a group of islands north of Alaska.''
Stockton Island is one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior, in northern Wisconsin, and is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
The largest island included in the n ...
– two docks, ranger station, and camping. Sites include Trout Point Logging Camp and a sandstone quarry
*
Gull Island
*
Michigan Island
Michigan Island is one of the Apostle Islands located in western Lake Superior, off the Bayfield Peninsula, in northern Wisconsin. This island has no human inhabitants, and is managed by the National Park Service as part of the Apostle Islands Nati ...
– dock,
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
, and camping
*
Hermit Island – includes a sandstone quarry
*
Basswood Island
Basswood Island is a Wisconsin island in Lake Superior. It is one of the Apostle Islands and a part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
From 1865 to 1923, the island was home to a farm run by Richard McCloud and Elisha Brigham. It was also ...
– dock, camping, and the McCloud-Brigham Farm
*
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
– modern
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
on the point
Historical evidence suggests that another island formerly existed alongside Eagle Island. It was known as Steamboat Island, although this name was apparently also used for Eagle Island itself, in which case Steamboat Island was called "Little Steamboat Island." Multiple sources dating from August 1901 document the disappearance of the island around that time, due to unknown natural forces.
History
The Apostle Islands are a result of the glaciers that once covered North America. "Geologically they are originally part of the main land at the edge of the great rift or fault which formed the depression to which the waters of Lake Superior collected."
When the glaciers melted, waves from the waters of Lake Superior caused erosion that formed the islands. The islands are composed of mostly red sandstone because of the glacial shift.
It is widely assumed that Native Americans were the first to inhabit the island. "There is some evidence that they were seen and possibly visited sometime in the fourteenth century by Indians who were making their way to Isle Royale near the north shore of the land in search of copper."
In the 17th century, the islands were visited by
Étienne Brûlé
Étienne Brûlé (; – c. June 1633) was the first European explorer to journey beyond the St. Lawrence River into what is now known as Canada. He spent much of his early adult life among the Hurons, and mastered their language and learned ...
, a French explorer who, like many French Canadians, was trying to discover a new way to the East Indies. "Historians believe that the Jesuits named the islands the Apostle Islands according to their practice of giving holy names to new places." It is said that fur traders were the first explorers to settle in the area, building a village from the money they brought in.
Previously used for logging, farming, and mining during the early 20th century, the islands are returning to a primitive state; evidence of human habitation is still present, albeit mostly obscured by the regenerating forests. The islands' coastlines possess varied geology, where
precambrian
The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...
sandstone has eroded into
sea caves
A sea cave, also known as a littoral cave, is a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion. Sea caves are found throughout the world, actively forming along present coastlines and as relic ...
, and the resulting sand has formed
sandspits,
cuspate forelands,
tombolos
A tombolo is a sandy or shingle isthmus. A tombolo, from the Italian ', meaning 'pillow' or 'cushion', and sometimes translated incorrectly as ''ayre'' (an ayre is a shingle beach of any kind), is a deposition landform by which an island becomes ...
, barrier spits, and beaches.
United States Senator
Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Anton Nelson (June 4, 1916July 3, 2005) was an American politician and environmentalist from Wisconsin who served as a United States senator and governor. He was a member of the Democratic Party and the founder of Earth Day, which launche ...
sponsored the federal legislation that established the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Public Law 91-424 was signed by President
Richard M. Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...
on September 26, 1970. It included 20 islands, a strip of the mainland, and approximately 1/4 mile of Lake Superior jurisdiction adjacent to each land unit.
Public Law 99-497 in 1986 added Long Island to the National Lakeshore and transferred ownership of all the light stations from the
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
to the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
.
After the National Park Service completed a wilderness study in 2004 and received overwhelming support from the public, Congress designated 80 percent of the land area () of the national lakeshore as the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness on December 8, 2004. (Public Law 108-447, Division E, Section 140.) Of the twenty-two
Apostle Islands
The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior, off the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin. The majority of the islands are located in Ashland County—only Sand, York, Eagle, and Raspberry Islands are located in Ba ...
, the
wilderness area
Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...
fully or partially covers eighteen and preserves the prohibition of motorized travel on the wilderness islands. It is the largest wilderness area in Wisconsin. It is named for Gaylord Nelson, a
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
and
governor of Wisconsin
The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscons ...
, who was instrumental in establishing the
National Trails System
The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...
, the
Wilderness Act
The Wilderness Act of 1964 () was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The result of a lon ...
, and
Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 b ...
.
The
National Park Travelers Club
The National Park Travelers Club (or NPTC) is a non-profit 501(c)7 social club organization. Its mission is to provide networking and recognition opportunities for visitors to America's National Park System. This Club acts to support and expand a ...
held its 2012 convention at the Apostle Islands.
Recreation
Many of the islands offer public docking; a small fee is charged for overnight use. The shoreline contains some historical sites, such as the many lighthouses throughout the islands. Fishing on Lake Superior is a popular activity for both boaters and non-boaters. The lake holds several species of trout and some species of salmon. In seasons when the water is warmer visitors can catch fish from the shore in water as shallow as ten feet.
Camping options range from more civilized sites that offer many amenities, such as well water, vault toilets, and food lockers, to sites that are more remote, further from other campers and offer nothing more than a
tent pad
A tent pad is a designated area at a campground site to a set up a tent. It eliminates the need to find a suitable spot to pitch a tent.
Often, a tent pad is a single row of timbers forming a square that retains the fill, resembling a sandbox. ...
or fire ring. Camping is offered on 18 of the 21 islands in the national lakeshore. Permits are required from the National Park Service in advance; reservations for group sites begin most years in January and for individual sites 30 days in advance.
Hunting is permitted on some islands for certain periods of the year. Game include
white-tail deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
,
black bear
Black bear or Blackbear may refer to:
Animals
* American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species
* Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species
Music
* Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
,
grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes, in the family Phasianidae. Grouse are presently assigned to the tribe Tetraonini (formerly the subfamily Tetraoninae and the family Tetraonidae), a classification supported by mitochondr ...
, and other small game. As white-tailed deer have become abundant in recent years, deer hunting opportunities have been plentiful, although the logistics of hunting on the islands can be difficult. Hunting black bears is limited to two islands, and there are rules and regulations that apply only to specific areas.
To get from island to island many visitors choose to kayak, either bringing their own kayaks and equipment or renting from a local shop. The islands also offer opportunities to scuba divers to view interesting rock formations and shipwrecks. Scuba diving within a quarter-mile of any island shore requires obtaining a free permit from the park's visitor center.
Lighthouses
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has more lighthouses than any other National Park Service area (eight historic towers on six islands).
For most of the century, the six
Apostle Islands Lighthouses have guided ships and boats through the rough waters of Lake Superior and through the Apostle Islands.
The
Sand Island lighthouse is one of the most popular lighthouses to visit on the islands. This lighthouse is approximately tall and was one of the first lighthouses to be automated in 1921. Boats tour this island June through late August every year on trips provided by volunteers of the National Park Service.
The lighthouse on Raspberry Island has been completely renovated and is one of the most scenic in the Apostle Islands. Other lighthouses in the Apostle islands include both
Old and New Michigan Island Lights, New
La Pointe Light
The La Pointe Light is a lighthouse located on Long Island, one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior in Ashland County, Wisconsin, near the city of Bayfield.
Currently owned by the National Park Service and part of the Apostle Islands Nat ...
and
Chequamegon Point Light
The Chequamegon Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on Long Island, one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior in Ashland County, Wisconsin, near the city of Bayfield.
The Chequamegon Point light was maintained by the keeper of the L ...
on Long Island,
Devils Island Light, and
Outer Island Light. The ruins of Old LaPointe Light can still be seen on Long Island, approximately away from the wreckage of the schooner ''
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
''.
Local communities
Bayfield, Wisconsin
Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 584 at the 2020 census. This makes it the city with the smallest population in Wisconsin. In fact, for a new city to be incorporated today, state regulations re ...
, home of the national lakeshore's
headquarters and visitor center, becomes more popular during the summer, when visitors travel to and from the islands.
Other nearby communities are
Red Cliff, three miles north of Bayfield, which offers a campground, marina, and the Legendary Waters Resort and Casino, and Washburn, located from Bayfield.
Gallery
Image:Apostles sandisland.jpg, Sand Island Sea Caves
Image:SquawBaySeaCaves028-050507.jpg, Some of the Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves, on the mainland near Cornucopia, Wisconsin
Cornucopia is an unincorporated census-designated place in the town of Bell in northern Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. It is situated on Lake Superior at the northern end of the Bayfield Peninsula. It is along Wisconsin Highway 13 an ...
Image:ApostleIslandNationalLakeshoreWI-033-050507.jpg, Hokenson Fishery, a part of the Little Sand Bay Visitor Center on the mainland
Image:RaspberryIsland.jpg, Trail on Raspberry Island
Image:ApostleIslandNationalLakeshoreWI-040-050507.jpg, Headquarters of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, in Bayfield, Wisconsin
Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 584 at the 2020 census. This makes it the city with the smallest population in Wisconsin. In fact, for a new city to be incorporated today, state regulations re ...
. The building is made of stone quarried from the Apostle Islands before they became a national park.
Image:LighthouseOnDevilsIsland.jpg, Lighthouse on Devil's Island
Notes
References
Apostle Islands National Lake Shore. 2008. GORP. 4 Mar. 2008*
ttp://www.travelwisconsin.com/Article_Detail.aspx?ArticleID=99&menuid=61 Travel Wisconsin. 2008. Wisconsin Department of Tourism. 4 Mar. 2008White Manderin
External links
National Park Service: Apostle Islands National Lakeshoreat
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
Gaylord Nelson- Wilderness.net
{{Authority control
National Lakeshores of the United States
Old-growth forests
Protected areas of Ashland County, Wisconsin
Protected areas of Bayfield County, Wisconsin
National Park Service areas in Wisconsin
Protected areas established in 1970
1970 establishments in Wisconsin