Grosse Ile ( ) is an American island in
Wayne County in the U.S. state of
Michigan.
Located just west of the
Canada–United States border
The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...
in the
Detroit River, it is the
largest island in the river and the most-populated island in the state of Michigan. The island is administered by
Grosse Ile Township.
History
The island was first explored and named by
French explorers
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
who called it ''Grosse Île'', meaning "large island" in the French language. Originally occupied by Native Americans, the island was given to the early French explorers by the
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...
in 1776. The Potawatomi referred to the island as ''Kitcheminishen''. Brothers
William and
Alexander Macomb, merchants and fur traders from Albany, New York and Detroit, took the island from the Potawatomi, becoming the first European-American owners.
The brothers had the island surveyed in 1819, and it was included into
Monguagon Township in 1829. The island remained sparsely populated and an independent community, but it did not gain autonomy until the formation of Grosse Ile Township on October 27, 1914. The island of Grosse Ile is considered an affluent part of the
Downriver community just south of the city of
Detroit.
Geography
The island is bordered on the west by the Trenton Channel and on the east by the Livingston Channel. The island itself is divided by two canals. The area on the north, known as Hennepin Point, is undeveloped and the site of a historic lighthouse.
The
Grosse Ile Municipal Airport occupies the southernmost area of the island. Grosse Ile is at the center of the
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. A variety of river islands are located near Grosse Ile. To the southwest are
Calf Island,
Swan Island,
Celeron Island
Celeron Island is an island in the Detroit River. It is in Wayne County, in southeast Michigan, and the southernmost island within Grosse Ile Township. Its coordinates are , and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as in 1980 ...
and
Round Island. To the southeast are
Meso Island,
Hickory Island, and
Sugar Island; to the east are
Elba Island
Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano Nat ...
,
Fox Island,
Powder House Island and
Stony Island, as well as
Bois Blanc Island (which is part of Canada).
While the majority of the township's residents live on Grosse Ile, the township itself contains over a dozen smaller islands—some of which are populated. Local residents sometimes refer to Grosse Ile as the ''Big Island'', ''Main Island'', or simply ''The Island'' to distinguish it from the township as a whole. The island is connected to the mainland by the
Grosse Ile Toll Bridge and the
Wayne County Bridge
The Wayne County Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel in the Detroit River. Located in Wayne County, Michigan, it connects Grosse Ile Township to mainland Trenton and is one of two bridges connecting the island of Grosse ...
, both of which connect to
West Jefferson Avenue.
See also
*
Grosse Ile Township, Michigan
*
List of islands in the Detroit River
References
{{authority control
Islands of Wayne County, Michigan
Islands of the Detroit River
River islands of Michigan
Michigan populated places on the Detroit River