Washington Island, Door County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington Island, Wisconsin
|
||
|---|---|---|
Washington Island School
|
||
|
||
Location of Washington Island, Wisconsin
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  Wisconsin |
|
| County | Door | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 125.5 sq mi (325.0 km2) | |
| • Land | 25.5 sq mi (66.0 km2) | |
| • Water | 100.0 sq mi (259.0 km2) | |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) | |
| Population
(2010)
|
||
| • Total | 708 | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | |
| Zip code |
54246
|
|
| Area code(s) | 920 | |
| FIPS code | 55-83600 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1584352 | |
| Website | https://www.washingtonisland-wi.gov | |
Washington Island is a small town in northern Door County, Wisconsin, United States. In 2010, about 708 people lived there. The communities of Detroit Harbor and Washington are part of the town.
The town of Washington Island is actually a group of small islands. These include Plum Island, Detroit Island, Hog Island, Rock Island, Pilot Island, Fish Island, and the biggest one, Washington Island. Most people live on the main Washington Island. Many smaller islands are protected areas and do not have people living on them all year. Because of this, people usually talk about the individual islands rather than the "town of Washington Island."
Many of the first people to settle on Washington Island were immigrants from Scandinavia, especially Icelanders. Today, Washington Island is one of the oldest Icelandic communities in the United States. It is also one of the largest Icelandic communities outside of Iceland itself.
Contents
Island Geography
The town covers a total area of about 125.5 square miles (325.0 km2). Most of this area, about 100.0 square miles (259.0 km2), is water. The land area is about 25.5 square miles (66.0 km2).
The land includes several islands: Plum Island, Detroit Island, Washington Island, Hog Island, Pilot Island, Fish Island, and Rock Island. Washington Island is the largest in a chain of islands called the Potawatomi Islands. These islands stretch across Lake Michigan between the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin and the Garden Peninsula in Michigan. These islands are natural rock formations.
People of Washington Island
In 2010, the US Census counted 708 people living on Washington Island.
In the year 2000, there were 660 people living in the town. Many families lived there, with 293 households in total. About 25% of these households had children under 18. Many people were of European heritage. The main groups included people of German, Norwegian, English, Danish, Irish, and Icelandic backgrounds.
The median age of people living on the island was 49 years old. This means half the people were older than 49 and half were younger.
Getting Around the Island
Washington Island Airport (2P2) is an airport that serves the town. It has two runways and is open all year. You can also travel to Washington Island by ferry. The ferry runs throughout the year.
Island Economy
The main way the town makes money is through tourism. Many visitors come to enjoy the islands.
Images for kids
-
The flag of Washington Island, Wisconsin
See also
In Spanish: Washington (condado de Door, Wisconsin) para niños
