Main Duck Island

Main Duck Island
Geography
Location Lake Ontario
Coordinates 43°55′N 76°36′W / 43.917°N 76.600°W / 43.917; -76.600Coordinates: 43°55′N 76°36′W / 43.917°N 76.600°W / 43.917; -76.600
Total islands 2
Major islands Main Duck Island
Administration
Canada
Province Ontario
Demographics
Population 0 (1978)

Main Duck Island is a Canadian island in the eastern part of Lake Ontario situated next to the smaller Yorkshire Island. It was purchased by Parks Canada in 1977 and has been a part of the Thousand Islands National Park since 1998.[1]

History

Early History

Archaeological evidence suggests the island was first used by nomadic Point Peninsula Peoples between 450 BC and 450 AD. The island then appears to have been used by the Owasco culture from 850 to 1050 AD. There is evidence that Iroquoian Peoples used the island from 1250 to 1450 AD.[1]

European Settlement

European settlers from Prince Edward County began to settle Main Duck Island in the early 19th century, establishing a fishing station.[1]

Captain John Walters built a schooner there in 1865 called the Harriet Anne.[1]

20th Century

A seasonal fishing village of 60 residents existed in the early part of the century. In 1941, John Foster Dulles, the future secretary of state for Dwight D. Eisenhower, bought much of the island as a summer place. After his death in 1959, a colleague inherited his land on the island. The Nature Conservancy of Canada purchased this land circa 1976 and then resold it to the Canadian Federal Government. In 1998 it was included in the Thousand Islands National Park of Canada.[1]

Buildings

Besides the lighthouse (c. 1914),[2] a few buildings exists on the island:[3]

In the middle of the larger island is a dock servicing small vessels. There are no roads on the island and just foot trails.

Lighthouse Keepers

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.