Eighteenmile Island facts for kids
Eighteenmile Island from an observation point on the Oregon side
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Wasco County, near Mosier, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 45°41′23″N 121°25′17″W / 45.68972°N 121.42139°W |
| Area | 9.89 acres (4.00 ha) |
| Administration | |
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United States
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| State | Oregon |
| County | Wasco |
Eighteenmile Island is a small island located in the Columbia River in Oregon, United States. It covers about 9.89 acres (4 hectares) of land. You can find it near Mosier, Oregon, and it's about four miles upstream from Hood River.
This island is easy to spot from Interstate 84, which runs along the Oregon side of the Columbia River. You can also see it from the historic Historic Columbia River Highway. A tiny rocky "island" nearby even has a special light to help boats navigate. The famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark mentioned this island in their journals!
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Discover Eighteenmile Island's Location
Eighteenmile Island sits in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge area. It is very close to the Oregon shoreline, just a few hundred feet away.
What Does the Island Look Like?
In 2007, the island was mostly open land. However, it also has some Douglas fir and willow trees. You can find interesting basalt cliffs, colorful wildflowers, and wild cherry trees. There are also thick patches of blackberries and a sandy beach.
Life on the Island
The only building on Eighteenmile Island is a private house. It is a three-story wooden home built in 1969. Electricity comes to the island from the mainland. The people living there get their drinking water by filtering it from the Columbia River. The only way to reach the island is by boat.
The Story of Chicken Charlie's Island
During the 1900s, many people called this place Chicken Charlie's Island. This was because a man named Charles Reither lived there for a long time. He lived on the island from 1915 until he passed away in 1963.
Was There a Chicken Ranch?
Even though it was called "Chicken Charlie's Island," there were no chickens there when Charles Reither lived there. But, it's possible there was a chicken farm around 1904. Charles's brother, George W. Reither, also lived on the island in 1919. Charles officially received ownership of the island in 1922. The United States Geological Survey started calling it "Eighteenmile Island" in 1934. However, some maps still use the name Chicken Charlie's Island today!
Who Owns Eighteenmile Island?
Eighteenmile Island is one of the few islands on the Columbia River that is still privately owned. This means it belongs to an individual, not the government. Special rules, called zoning laws, prevent any new buildings from being built on the island. Only the one existing house is allowed.
In 2000, the island was put up for sale. Officials thought about buying it to protect it. But they decided it wasn't necessary because the strict zoning rules already protect the island from too much building. The island and its house were offered for sale again in 2005 and 2007.
