The following is a description of islands in the Detroit River. The

Detroit River The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively refe ...

is a major waterway in the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

system, and it flows for from

Lake St. Clair Lake St. Clair (french: Lac Sainte-Claire) is a freshwater lake that lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. It was named in 1679 by French Catholic explorers after Saint Clare of Assisi, on whose feast day ...

south to

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...

. The river serves as a major shipping channel, jointly controlled by the United States and Canada, and it is a major component of the

Canada–United States border The 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 ...

. The majority of islands are on the American side of the river, which are all within Wayne County in

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. The Canadian islands are part of Essex County in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. There are no islands in the Detroit River that are divided by the international border, as Michigan and Ontario share no land borders at any point. Most of the islands are very small and uninhabited, and many of these islands around the southern portion of the river serve as

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

s as part of the

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. Established in 2001 and managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, it is located in ...

. The largest and most populated island is Grosse Ile, and many islands are part of

Grosse Ile Township Grosse Ile Township is a civil township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,777 at the 2020 census. The township encompasses several islands in the Detroit River, of which the largest is named as Grosse Ile. N ...

. Several islands were also artificially created by canals, such as several islands within the city of

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

, as well as Elizabeth Park and

Zug Island Zug Island is a heavily industrialized island within the city of River Rouge at the southern city limits of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located where the mouth of the River Rouge spills into the Detroit River. Zug Island is n ...

Michigan

Belle Isle

Belle Isle () is a island in the northeastern portion of the Detroit River just north of

Downtown Detroit Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, downtown tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 (Lodge Freeway) to the west, Interstate 75 ( ...

. Belle Isle sits at an elevation of above sea level, and the island has also gone by several historic names. It is the northernmost island in the river just downstream from

. Because of the curve in the river, Belle Isle is just west of (Southbound on the river) the Canadian

Peche Island Peche Island ( French pronunciation anglicized to , therefore occasionally misspelled "Peach"), is an uninhabited, currently (reduced by erosion from a 1965 measurement of 109 acres / 43.7 ha) Canadian-owned island in the Detroit River, at it ...

, which is the easternmost and first island in the river heading South. It is the third-largest island in the river after Grosse Ile and

Fighting Island Fighting Island is a island in the Detroit River, and is the largest Canadian island in the river. It is part of the town of LaSalle, Ontario, Canada, opposite Wyandotte, Michigan, and downriver from Detroit and Windsor. History Originally pop ...

. The island is within the city limits of

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

but is administered by the

Michigan Department of Natural Resources The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor a ...

, as the island was designated as a state park named

Belle Isle Park Belle Isle Park, known simply as Belle Isle (), is a island park in Detroit, Michigan, developed in the late 19th century. It consists of Belle Isle, an island in the Detroit River, as well as several surrounding islets. The U.S.-Canada border ...

in 2014. The island is connected to the mainland by the MacArthur Bridge, which carries East Grand Boulevard and connects to East Jefferson Avenue. Belle Isle has no permanent population. The island is a very popular tourist destination that contains a number of historic structures and events. The entire island is listed as a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

and also as a

Michigan State Historic Site The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is one of 59 state historic preservation offices established according to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that plays a role in implementing federal historic preservation policy in the ...

. The island itself also contains several lakes, including the Blue Heron Lagoon, Lake Muskoday, Lake Okonoda, Lake Takoma, and several artificial canals. These lakes also contain several unnamed recursive islands (islands within an island).

Calf Island

Calf Island () is an island off the southwest coast of Grosse Ile. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island, which is within

, is uninhabited and serves primarily as a nesting location for migrating birds. In 2002, Calf Island became part of the

Celeron Island

Celeron Island () is a island near the mouth of the Detroit River at

. Celeron Island is the southernmost island within

and sits at an elevation of above sea level. Due to erosion, it now comprises two separate islands. Celeron Island is uninhabited and administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as the island was included into

Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Pointe Mouillee State Game Area (; or ) is a state game area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It encompasses of hunting, recreational, and protected wildlife and wetland areas at the mouth of the Huron River at Lake Erie, as well as smaller ou ...

in 1976.

Cherry Island

Cherry Island () is an uninhabited island within Brownstown Charter Township just south of the city of Gibraltar. Also referred to as Cherry Isle, the island sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island is part of

Lake Erie Metropark Lake Erie Metropark is a park in the Huron-Clinton system of metro parks. The park is a recreational facility located between the mouth of the Huron River on Lake Erie to the south and the City of Gibraltar to the north, and consists of natural ...

and contains the park's boat launch. Cherry Island is also listed by the

GNIS The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...

as an unincorporated community and populated place.

Edmond Island

Edmond Island () is an artificial island within the city of

. It separated from the mainland by a narrow canal and contains a single bridge. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level. It is one of the main populated islands of Gibraltar, and it is sometimes spelled as Edmund Island.

Elba Island

Elba Island () is an elongated island off the southeast coast of Grosse Ile and is administered by

. It is separated from Grosse Ile by the Oldani Marsh. Elba Island contains a single roadway and is connected by a single bridge to Grosse Ile. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level.

Elizabeth Park

Elizabeth Park () is an artificial island within the city of Trenton. The island is located on the western shores of the Trenton Channel and sits at an elevation of above sea level. Once connected to the mainland, it was set off by the construction of a canal by landowner Giles Bryan Slocum in the mid-nineteenth century. The island became known as Slocum's Island, and the property was donated to the county in 1918. The Slocum's Island name has now largely fallen into disuse. Today, the island encompasses the Elizabeth Park on the northern end and the

Trenton Channel Power Plant The Trenton Channel Power Plant, also known as the Trenton Stacks, was a coal-burning power station located in Trenton, Michigan. Completed in 1924, it is owned by Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy. Location Part of the facility's prope ...

on the south. The two are separated by the Grosse Ile Parkway, which carries 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 ...

leading to Grosse Ile.

Fox Island

Fox Island () is a small and uninhabited island located off the southeast coast of Grosse Ile just east of Elba Island. The island is privately owned and part of

. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level.

Grassy Island

Grassy Island () is a island just north of Grosse Ile and west of

. The uninhabited island is part of the city of Wyandotte. Originally, the island was much smaller, but it served as a disposal facility for millions of cubic yards of sediments that were dredged from the expanding of the River Rouge. In 2001, Grassy Island was an inaugural addition to the

, although access to the island is restricted and difficult. Grassy Island sits at an elevation of . It once contained the former Grassy Island Light. Grassy Island should not be confused with another island on the opposite side of the river named Grass Island, which is part of

Grosse Ile

Grosse Ile () is the largest island in the Detroit River. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level in the southern portion of the river. The island itself has no precise area or population statistics, although it is approximately long and wide. Grosse Ile is the main island within

, and it is often referred to as the "big island" or "main island" to distinguish it from the township as a whole, which contains a dozen individual islands. Grosse Ile connects to the mainland by the

in the middle of the island and the

Grosse Ile Toll Bridge The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township, Michigan to the mainland in Riverview, Michigan which is located in Wayne County, Michigan. History The Grosse Il ...

on the northern end. The

Grosse Ile Municipal Airport Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is two miles south of Grosse Ile, in Wayne County, Michigan. It is owned by the Township of Grosse Ile. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categori ...

is located on the southern end of the island. The island also contains a number of smaller bridges that traverse the island's canals and connect to the smaller islands to the south. Grosse Ile contains numerous historic structures and is primarily residential with little economic development. The island is bisected by the Thorofare Canal and another canal that separates the undeveloped northern portion of the island referred to as Hennepin Point. The Gibraltar Bay Unit of the

is located in the southeast portion of the island.

Hall Island

Hall Island () is an inhabited island within the city of

. It is centrally located within the city just east of Main Island and north of Edmond Island. It is connected to the mainland and Main Island by two bridges along Stoeflet Street.

Humbug Island

Humbug Island () is an elongated island within the city of

just northwest of Calf Island. It is included in the much larger

Humbug Marsh Humbug Marsh, a wetland in southeastern Wayne County, Michigan, is a constituent element of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. It is listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Although Humbug Marsh is located within h ...

, which was included into the

in 2004. The island is uninhabited and inaccessible, and it is noted as the last undeveloped shoreline on the American side of the Detroit River.

Hickory Island

Hickory Island () is the southernmost populated island within

. It sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island contains a single bridge connecting to Meso Island to the north leading to Grosse Ile. The Grosse Ile Yacht Club is located on Hickory Island.

Horse Island

Horse Island () is a narrow and elongated island within the city of

. It is the city's southeasternmost island and sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island is densely populated and contains a single roadway. It is connected to the mainland by the Horse Island Drive Bridge, which is long and was constructed in 1925. The island received its name from early settlers who would leave their horses to feed and mate on the island during the summer months.

Main Island

Main Island () is the largest and most-populated island within the city of

. It is separated from the mainland by a narrow canal with a single bridge along Middle Gibraltar Road. The bridge is long and was constructed in 1932. Another bridge connects Main Island to Hall Island via Stoeflet Street. The Gibraltar Municipal Complex and the Gibraltar Historical Museum are located on Main Island. Main Island also connects to Horse Island on the southeast by the Horse Island Drive Bridge.

Mamajuda Island

Mamajuda Island () was an island located just east of the northern tip of Grosse Ile (Hennepin Point) within

. The island was once in size and contained the historic Mama Juda Lighthouse, which was first built in 1849. The lighthouse was lost by increased erosion in the 1950s, and the entire island itself disappeared soon after. The island was also known as Mammy Juda Island and sits at an elevation of above sea level. Although the island is gone, it is still listed on some online maps and may surface during times of low water levels.

Meso Island

Meso Island () is a populated island in southeast

. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level. Hickory Island is to the south, and Meso Island connects to Grosse Ile by a single bridge. Sugar Island is just east of Meso Island.

Mud Island

Mud Island () is a island within the city of

Ecorse Ecorse ( ') is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,512 at the 2010 census. Ecorse is part of the Downriver community within Metro Detroit. The city shares a northwestern border with the city of Detroit ...

. The island was donated by the

National Steel Corporation The National Steel Corporation (1929–2003) was a major American steel producer. It was founded in 1929 through a merger arranged by Weirton Steel with some properties of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation and M.A. Hanna Company with headquart ...

and is the northernmost unit included in the

. Mud Island is just north of

Grassy Island Grassy Island is a small, uninhabited American island in the Detroit River. It is located just north of Grosse Ile and west of Fighting Island, about west of the Canada–United States border. The island is part of the city of Wyandotte, in ...

, and public access to the island is prohibited. It sits at an elevation of above sea level.

Powder House Island

Powder House Island () is a very small uninhabited island in southeast

. It is located just northeast of Fox Island in the middle of the river near the international border. Powder House Island sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island may also be referred to as Dynamite Island.

Round Island

Round Island () is an uninhabited island of

. It sits at an elevation of above sea level. Unlike other islands at the southern tip of Grosse Ile, Round Island is undeveloped. It is separated from Grosse Ile by a narrow canal that is used for docking boats at the Ford Yacht Club.

Stony Island

250px, View of Stony Island from Grosse Ile Stony Island () is uninhabited island within

just east of Grosse Ile and west of the international border from Crystal Island. Stony Island sits at an elevation of above sea level. The island's unusual shape and stony composition are the result of millions of cubic yards of sediment that were dredged out of the middle of the Detroit River to provide a deep shipping lane. The island has also been reinforced and surrounded by numerous breakwater structures to protect the artificial wetlands. The island has undergone this restoration project with funding from the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...

. Most of the island is included as part of

Sturgeon Bar

Sturgeon Bar (), sometimes listed as Sturgeon Bar Island, is the southernmost island in the Detroit River and is part of Brownstown Charter Township. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level. Sturgeon Bar is part of the

, and the Metropark is also included as a unit within the

Sugar Island

Sugar Island () is an uninhabited island off the southwest coast of Grosse Ile within

. It is just east of Meso Island near the international border. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level. Beginning in the 1880s, Sugar Island became a popular resort location, and it eventually contained an amusement park and other entertainment venues. Ferry services brought guest to and from the island until the 1940s when the amusement park closed. The island soon fell into disuse and ruins. In 2012, the deserted island was purchased by the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

and soon after included as a unit in the

. The island contains no structures, and access to the island is restricted.

Swan Island

Swan Island () is the smallest of the inhabited islands of

. Swan Island is located southwest of Grosse Ile, and it is separated by a narrow canal and connected by a single bridge. The island sits at an elevation of above sea level.

Zug Island

Zug Island () is a island in the city of River Rouge just south of the city of Detroit. It sits at an elevation of above sea level. Zug Island is an

artificial island An artificial island is an island that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means. Artificial islands may vary in size from small islets reclaimed solely to support a single pillar of a building or structure to those tha ...

that was once connected to the mainland at the mouth of the River Rouge, but its original landowner had a small canal created to set the land off as an island. In 1902, the island became site of several steel mills during the age of rapid industrial development along the Detroit River. Today, Zug Island houses a large steel mill owned by

U.S. Steel United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in severa ...

, and public access is strictly prohibited.

Ontario

Bois Blanc Island

Bois Blanc Island (), popularly known as Boblo Island, is a island in the southeast portion of the Detroit River. It is the southernmost Canadian island in the river and is administered by the town of

Amherstburg Amherstburg is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In 1796, Fort Malden was established here, stimulating growth in the settlement. The fort has been designated as a National Historic Site. The town is ...

. In 1836, the

Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse is a National Historic Site of Canada located in Ontario on Bois Blanc Island, one of the islands in the Detroit River. It consists of a lighthouse, owned by Parks Canada, and a blockhouse, ...

were constructed on the island as an aid to navigation at the mouth of the Detroit River. The island then served as a military outpost. The lighthouse was decommissioned in the late 1950s, but the structures remain to this day. The island is most famously known as the location for the

Boblo Island Amusement Park Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the ...

, which operated from 1898 to 1993. Ferries services routinely brought Americans to the island from the Boblo Island Detroit Dock further upstream. The island has no bridges connecting to the mainland; local ferries continue to serve the residents that now live in upscale housing on the northside of the island. The southside, where the amusement park once stood, remains undeveloped. The island is accessible to the public.

Crystal Island

Crystal Island () is an artificial island located directly across the international border from Stony Island. Though it is uninhabited, it is part of the town of

. Similar to Stony Island, it was created to provide and mark a deeper shipping lane, and the island has a very irregular shape. Crystal Island's odd shape created a pristine inlet known as Crystal Bay. The small bay is protected by the island from the river's current and pollution, thus creating an unusually calm and clear shelter. While the island itself is off limits since it serves as a nature preserve, the bay is a popular destination for boaters and fishermen.

Fighting Island

Fighting Island () is the largest Canadian island in the Detroit River at . It is the second largest island in the river after Grosse Ile. Fighting Island is administered by the town of LaSalle, but it is privately owned by the German-based

BASF BASF Societas Europaea, SE () is a German multinational corporation, multinational chemical company and the List of largest chemical producers, largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The ...

, which has a facility across the river in Wyandotte. The island originally had a small indigenous population before it was purchased by the Michigan Alkali Company in 1918. The company used the island as a dumping ground for waste. The island served as a dumping ground until at least 1982. In 1989, it was reported that 80% of the island was covered in highly acidic brine waste, which also caused dust clouds to travel to nearby communities. BASF purchased the company (by then Wyandotte Chemical Company) in the early 1970s,Richard Leonard and Zack Nauth. 1990
Beating BASF: OCAW Busts Union-Buster
. ''Labor Research Review'' 1(16): 39–49. and has since done a large-scale cleanup and restoration of the island. The island remains undeveloped and serves as a growing nature refuge and educational retreat.

Grass Island

Grass Island () is an extremely narrow and elongated island between

and mainland LaSalle, which administers the island. The island is uninhabited and undeveloped. The island is sometimes referred to as

, which is an American island on the exact opposite side of the river.

Peche Island

Peche Island () is an island at the very beginning of the Detroit River at

. It is within the city of

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area *Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wind ...

. It is the easternmost island in the river and is just east of Belle Isle. Peche Island was historically known by its French names Isle aux Pêcheurs (Fisherman Island) and Isle a la Pêche (Fishing Island), but it was sometimes referred to as Peach Island due to the English pronunciation. The island was originally privately owned and used as a lavish summer residence for

Hiram Walker Hiram Walker (July 4, 1816 – January 12, 1899) was an American entrepreneur and founder of the Hiram Walker and Sons Ltd. distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Walker was born in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and moved to Detroit in 1838. He p ...

and later others. Later owners attempted to profit and turn the island into an amusement park and resort destination similar to Belle Isle and

, but these plans never came to fruition. The island was eventually sold to the Province of Ontario and converted into a provincial park in 1974, but the island had no future plans. The City of Windsor purchased the unused island in 1999. The island has since remained undeveloped and serves as a nature preserve and city park.

Turkey Island

Turkey Island () is a small uninhabited island just south of

. The island is within the town of

. The island is privately owned, inaccessible, and undeveloped.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Islands In The Detroit River * * * Detroit-related lists

Geography of Detroit Islands of Wayne County, Michigan Landforms of Windsor, Ontario Landforms of Essex County, Ontario Lists of landforms of Michigan . Rivers-related lists Islands, Detroit River