St. Joseph Island
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| St. Joseph Island | |
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 Highway 548 and bridge to St Joseph Island (seen in background) |
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Lake Huron |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Area | 365 square kilometers (140.9 sq mi) |
| Length | 30 kilometers (19 mi) |
| Width | 19 kilometers (12 mi) |
| Highest point | Carterton 335 meters (1,099 ft) |
| Administration | |
 Canada |
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| Province | Ontario |
| District | Algoma District |
| Largest city | Hilton Beach |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2000 |
St. Joseph Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, near the mouth of the St. Marys River which connects Lake Huron with Lake Superior.
St. Joseph Island has a year-round population of around 2000, and is connected to the mainland by the Highway 548 bridge spanning the North Channel of Lake Huron. There is another segment of Highway 548 that circles the island. The largest towns on the island are Hilton Beach and Richards Landing. Tourism is the primary source of income, while logging, maple syrup, and agriculture are of lesser importance. The island has c.10,000 tourists each year.
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[edit] History
St. Joseph Island's location at this vital gateway to Lake Superior made it important for trade with First Nations peoples and for defense. After Mackinac Island was handed over to the United States, the British chose to fortify equally strategic St. Joseph island in 1796. The British troops based at Fort St. Joseph captured the American Fort Mackinac during the War of 1812. After the war ended the fort was abandoned, but the site and remaining structures are now the Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site, managed by Parks Canada.
[edit] Municipalities on St. Joseph Island
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
St. Joseph Island travel guide from Wikitravel
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