Sledge Island facts for kids
Sledge Island, also known as Ayak Island, is a small piece of land in the Bering Sea. It is located about 5.3 miles (8.5 kilometers) from the southwestern coast of the Seward Peninsula. This island is found off the shores of Alaska.
About Sledge Island's Land
Sledge Island was formed by volcanoes. It is only about 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers) wide. The island's average height is 410 feet (125 meters) above sea level.
The island is about 2.80 kilometers (1.74 miles) long. It is also about 1.48 kilometers (0.92 miles) wide.
Sledge Island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge helps protect many different types of wildlife.
Sledge Island's History
Captain James Cook named this island on August 5, 1778. He found a sled near the shore where his crew landed. This is how the island got its name.
In 1802, Martin Sauer shared the Inuit name for the island. He was part of a Russian trip in 1791. He said the Inuit name for the island is "Ayak."
Captain Frederick Beechey also noticed something interesting. He said it was special that the island's Inuit name, "Ayak," also meant "sledge" in their language. This was the same meaning as the name Captain Cook gave it.
In 2017, Sledge Island was shown on the TV show Bering Sea Gold. The show featured people looking for gold on the seafloor near the island.
People of Sledge Island
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 50 | — | |
| 1890 | 67 | 34.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Sledge Island first appeared in the U.S. Census in 1880. It was listed as an Inuit village called Aziak. All 50 people living there were Inuit.
In 1890, the island was listed again as Sledge Island. It had 67 residents, all of whom were native people. This number included people from the island's village, "Ahyak." It also included people from three small villages on the mainland. These villages were near a place called West Point, about 19 to 20 miles west of where Nome is today.
Sledge Island has not been listed in any census since 1890.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Sledge para niños
