Pilot Island
45°17′N 86°55′W
Pilot Island is an island in Lake Michigan in the Town of Washington, in Door County, Wisconsin; it is part of Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. An abandoned lighthouse, the Pilot Island Light, rests on the island, and three shipwrecks rest in the Pilot Island NW Site.
Terrain
45°17′N 86°55′W
Overview
Pilot Island is an island in Lake Michigan in the Town of Washington, in Door County, Wisconsin; it is part of Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. An abandoned lighthouse, the Pilot Island Light, rests on the island, and three shipwrecks rest in the Pilot Island NW Site. Pilot Island lies in the middle of the southern opening of the Porte des Morts passage off the tip of the Door Peninsula. Pilot Island earned its name due to the use of the island as a "pilot" by sailors going through the dangerous Porte des Morts passage. The lighthouse started operations in 1858 and continues to this day to be a maritime navigational aid. The island was often foggy and the fog signal would run for long periods of time. The fog signal was discontinued in 1962.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chart
Nearest islands
- Plum Island3.7 km
- Detroit Island4.1 km
- Washington Island10 km
- Rock Island17 km
- St. Martin Island26 km
- Poverty Island34 km
Also in Potawatomi Islands
Washington Island
59.4 km²▲ 247 m
Major islands
Summer Island
8.8 km²▲ 232 m
Major islands
St. Martin Island
5.7 km²▲ 223 m
Major islands
Rock Island
4 km²▲ 263 m
Minor islands
Little Summer Island
3 km²▲ 205 m
Minor islands
Detroit Island
2.7 km²▲ 210 m
Minor islands
Plum Island
1.3 km²▲ 197 m
Minor islands
Poverty Island
0.86 km²▲ 212 m
Minor islands
Photographs
w:Pilot Island from w:Northport, Door County, Wisconsin. This file was uploaded with Commonist.
Pilot Island from the air, with Plum Island in the background. This 2019 photo can be compared with a previous aerial photo from October 2004.
Pilot Island, Wisconsin
Pilot Island, WI, with lighthouse and assistant lighthouse keeper's quarters
Pilot Island WI from air
Plum Island (left), Pilot Island (lower right), Detroit Island (middle center and right), and southern Washington Island (in distance), Wisconsin
Pilot Island at Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The lighthouse and related buildings date back to 1858. Photo by Tina Shaw/USFWS.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region / Public domain
Sources
Facts
Photographs
- PilotIslandWisconsinLakeMichigan. Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pilot Island from air 2019. Paulwehr / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pilot Island Wisconsin. Happy Photos / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pilot island WI 10 10 23. Kamital / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pilot Island, Door County, Wisconsin. Richie Diesterheft, cropped by Epiphyllumlover / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pilot Island WI. Kamital / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Plum Island Pilot Island Detroit Island and Southern Washington Island Wisconsin. Happy Photos / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Porte des Morts Passage. RDavS at en.wikipedia / Public domain
- Pilot Island at Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge (21903132741). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region / Public domain