Bellow Island facts for kids
 Bellow Island
Location in Michigan
Bellow Island
Location in the United States
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lake Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45°06′00″N 85°34′03″W / 45.0999996°N 85.5675837°W |
| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Highest elevation | 179 m (587 ft) |
| Administration | |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Leelanau County |
| Township | Leelanau Township |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Bellow Island, also called Gull Island, is a small piece of land in Lake Michigan. You can find it in Leelanau Township, which is part of Leelanau County, Michigan.
This island is just over a mile from the coast of the Leelanau Peninsula in Northport Bay. It is a special place because it's protected as a safe home for herring gulls. The only building on the island is an old, falling-apart cottage on its south side.
Contents
Island History: Who Lived Here?
The First Cottage on Bellow Island
In 1910, a man named Edward Taylor Ustick Sr. bought Bellow Island. He decided to build a cottage there. A famous architect from Traverse City, Jens C. Petersen, designed the house.
Changes Over Time
The cottage and the island stayed in the Ustick family for many years. But in 1948, the house was damaged by people. In the early 1950s, many visitors from Northport would come to the island. However, this tourism stopped soon after.
A Discovery About Birds
In the mid-1960s, an important discovery was made on Bellow Island. Scientists found out that a pesticide called DDT was making bird eggshells very thin. This made it hard for baby birds to survive.
Protecting the Island Today
In 1995, the island was given to the Leelanau Conservancy. This group now owns and manages the island. To protect the nesting birds, Bellow Island is now closed to the public. No people are allowed to disturb the birds that live and raise their young there.
Island Wildlife: What Birds Live Here?
A Home for Gulls
Bellow Island is a very important place for studying herring gulls. It has one of the biggest groups of nesting herring gulls in Northern Michigan.
Other Bird Species
Besides herring gulls, other major bird species also build their nests on the island. These include Double-crested cormorants and Ring-billed gulls.
Important Research on DDT
The first discoveries about how the pesticide DDT harmed bird eggshells happened right here on Bellow Island. This research was paid for by the University of Michigan in the mid-1960s. It showed how chemicals can affect wildlife.
Island Weather: What's the Climate Like?
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