Gibraltar Island facts for kids
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Nickname: Gem of Lake Erie
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View of the island from South Bass
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| Area | 6.55 acres (2.65 ha) |
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United States
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Gibraltar Island is a small island in Ohio. It's often called the "Gem of Lake Erie." This island is located in Lake Erie, very close to South Bass Island. It's only about 6.55 acres big. The island is named Gibraltar because its rocky shape looks a bit like the famous Rock of Gibraltar.
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History of Gibraltar Island
Gibraltar Island played an important role during the War of 1812. It was used as a lookout point by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. On September 10, 1813, Perry and his team defeated a fleet of British ships. This famous battle was called the Battle of Lake Erie. Because of this, the lookout spot on Gibraltar Island is now known as Perry's Lookout.
Island Ownership and Jay Cooke
The island was first owned by Connecticut. In 1807, a banker from New York City, Pierpont Edwards, bought it. Later, in 1864, Jay Cooke bought the island from Edwards. Cooke was from Sandusky, Ohio. He immediately started building a large 15-room mansion. This mansion is built in a Victorian-Gothic style and is now called Cooke Castle.
The Cooke family often hosted many famous people at their home. These guests included generals and presidents like William Tecumseh Sherman, Rutherford B. Hayes, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison. Owen Brown, whose brother lived nearby, took care of the island when the Cookes were away. In the early 1880s, Cooke's daughter, Laura Barney, sold the island to Julius Stone. He later gave it to Ohio State University.
Stone Laboratory: A Place for Science
Ohio State University has had research and teaching labs on Lake Erie since 1895. Professor David S. Kellicott started the first lab in a fish hatchery in Sandusky, Ohio. The first classes for students began in 1900. The lab moved a few times before finding its permanent home on Gibraltar Island.
The Founding of Stone Lab
Julius Stone, a trustee for Ohio State University, bought the island in 1925. He then offered the land to the university. The university decided to name the lab after his father, Franz Theodore Stone. Franz Theodore Stone was a mathematician and astronomer from Prussia.
Even though the island was bought in 1925, classes didn't start until 1929. The F. T. Stone Laboratory, usually called Stone Lab, was officially opened on June 22, 1929. This makes it the oldest freshwater field station in the United States.
What Stone Lab Offers
Stone Lab has six classrooms, offices, and laboratories. It also has computer facilities and a large auditorium that can seat 100 people. The lab hosts workshops for younger students throughout the year. During the summer, it offers college courses for advanced high school students, college students, and graduate students.
Other Buildings on Gibraltar Island
Besides the main lab, there are other important buildings on Gibraltar Island:
- Cooke Castle: Built in 1865 by Jay Cooke. It is currently being fixed up and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Barney Cottage: Built around 1900 by Jay Cooke's daughter. It can sleep 22 people.
- Dining Hall: Built in 1929 by Ohio State. This is where students and staff eat.
- Stone Cottage: Built in 1930 by Ohio State. It was used for instructors and researchers and could sleep 10.
- Gibraltar House: Built in 1930 by Ohio State. This was the home for the island's caretaker.
- Harborview House: Built in 1985 by Ohio State. This building is a dormitory and can sleep 60 people.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Gibraltar para niños
