St. Martin Island facts for kids
 St. Martin Island
Location in Michigan
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Lake Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45°29′52″N 86°46′13″W / 45.49778°N 86.77028°W |
| Highest elevation | 643 ft (196 m) |
| Administration | |
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United States
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| State | Michigan |
| County | Delta County |
| Township | Fairbanks Township |
St. Martin Island is a small island located in Lake Michigan. It is found off the Garden Peninsula in Delta County, which is part of the U.S. state of Michigan. This island is the most southern island in Michigan that forms a chain of islands. These islands are located at the entrance of Green Bay and are part of a large rock formation called the Niagara Escarpment.
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Where is St. Martin Island Located?
St. Martin Island is surrounded by other smaller islands. To the north and east, about two miles away, are Gravelly Island, Gull Island, and Little Gull Island. These islands are separated by a water channel called the St. Martin Island Passage.
About six miles to the south-southwest, across the Rock Island Passage, is Rock Island in Wisconsin. St. Martin Island is also about 18 miles (29 km) from the Door County Peninsula.
The History of St. Martin Island
Why Was a Lighthouse Needed?
In 1864, a railroad called the Peninsula Railroad was finished. It connected Escanaba, Michigan to the iron mines in Negaunee. This made Escanaba a very busy port. Many ships loaded with iron ore left Escanaba to deliver their cargo to steel mills located along the eastern Great Lakes.
However, St. Martin Island and the underwater rocks around it were dangerous for ships. They caused many accidents. Because of this, as early as 1891, the United States Lighthouse Board asked the government for money to build a lighthouse there.
The need for a lighthouse was even greater because of a hidden sandbar, called a shoal. This shoal stretched out for about a mile in every direction from the island. It took the U.S. Congress eight years to approve the money. Finally, the St. Martin Island Light was built in 1905. This lighthouse helped guide ships safely past the island.
First Airplane Landing
In the early 1950s, a pilot named Robert W. Warner from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, was the first person to land an airplane on St. Martin Island. It is said that no one else has ever flown to the island since then.
Who Owns the Island Now?
In the 1980s, the Fred Luber family bought most of the island, about 1,244 acres (which is about 94% of the island). They planned to build a vacation resort there. However, the island was very far away from other places, which made it hard to develop. So, the island was left mostly untouched.
In 2013, a group called The Nature Conservancy bought the island. Their plan was to give it to the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. St. Martin Island is a very important resting spot for many birds during their long migrations. Because of its importance for wildlife, St. Martin Island and its lighthouse are not open to the public.
Other St. Martin Islands
It's important to know that there are other islands named "St. Martin Island" in Mackinac County, Michigan. These include a St. Martin Island at 45°57′42″N 84°34′19″W / 45.96167°N 84.57194°W, Little Saint Martin Island at 45°56′47″N 84°33′53″W / 45.94639°N 84.56472°W, and Big St. Martin Island at 45°58′06″N 84°37′41″W / 45.96833°N 84.62806°W. Together, these islands form the St. Martin Islands group in St. Martin Bay.
St. Martin Island in Movies
St. Martin Island was the setting for a Canadian horror movie from 1982 called Humongous.
