Turtle Island

About

Turtle Island is a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) island in the western portion of Lake Erie in the United States. The island is divided between the U.S. states of Michigan and Ohio. Turtle Island is located about five miles (8.0 km) northeast of the mouth of the Maumee River in Maumee Bay. Today, the island houses several abandoned structures and the ruins of Turtle Island Light, a lighthouse dating back to 1866. According to the Census Bureau, most of the island physically lies in Jerusalem Township in Lucas County, Ohio with the smaller Michigan portion being part of Erie Township in Monroe County, Michigan. It was sold in 1995, and there was a failed housing project in the early 2000s, and it was sold again in 2022 to private ownership.

The island has been eroded by Lake Erie. The lighthouse has been damaged by winter storms and it is one of the most endangered lighthouses in the nation. The island was once over 6 acres in the 19th century, but is now less than an acre. It is the only sand and gravel island in the whole lake, and is more vulnerable. There are periodic efforts to try to rebuild the island, save the lighthouse, and make a park area.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.