Fremont Island

Fremont Island
Private Land
View from Castle Rock - looking south
Country United States
State Utah
County Weber County, Utah
Coordinates 41°09′56″N 112°20′23″W / 41.16556°N 112.33972°W / 41.16556; -112.33972Coordinates: 41°09′56″N 112°20′23″W / 41.16556°N 112.33972°W / 41.16556; -112.33972
Highest point
 - location Castle Rock
 - elevation 1,522 m (4,993 ft)
Lowest point
 - location Great Salt Lake
 - elevation 1,279 m (4,196 ft)
Length 8.57 km (5 mi)
Width 2.76 km (2 mi)
Area 11.9 km2 (5 sq mi)
Fremont Island Map

Fremont Island,[1] at 2,943.04 acres (12 km2), is a privately owned island located within the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. state of Utah. It is the third largest island after Stansbury Island and Antelope Island respectively.

Human history

Fremont Island is named for John C. Frémont.[2]

At least one permanent family has lived on Fremont Island. Kate and Uriah Wenner and their children lived on the island for several years prior to the death of Uriah in 1891.[3]

In 2003 the island was leased by the Barrow Land and Livestock company. Exotic species of animals were brought to the island with the intent to provide unique hunting opportunities.[4]

In October 2013 a feral pig was spotted near the Antelope Island causeway. This prompted the state authorities to investigate and find populations of illegal species. The state and owners then proceeded to hunt the remaining animals by air to prevent the potential spread to the mainland.[5]

Access

Fremont Island is privately owned and permission is required for access. The island is accessible via an exposed land bridge when the Great Salt Lake water level is lower than 4,195 feet in elevation. The start point of the land bridge is approximately 1 mile east of the Antelope Island Marina and can be accessed via the Antelope Island causeway.[6]

Flora

There are certain plant species that occur on Fremont Island, and there is historic evidence that some species that were earlier documented to occur on the island are no longer present. For example, explorers who visited this island in the mid-1800s noted the presence of abundant "onions" which they identified as Calochortus luteus. However, this name was applied to plants that were later renamed as other species.[7] While it is unlikely that the California endemic C. luteus occurred on Fremont Island, it is clear that some species of Calochortus once present is now extinct.

Notes

  1. "Fremont Island". www3.co.weber.ut.us. Weber County GIS. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  2. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 132.
  3. Ison, Yvette (May 1995). "The Wenner Family Enjoyed Life on Fremont Island". http://historytogo.utah.gov/. History Blazer. Retrieved 9 September 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  4. Weist, Larry (17 March 2003). "Fremont Island". www.deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  5. Prettyman, Brett (31 October 2013). "Feral pigs killed after one headed for Antelope Island". www.sltrib.com. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  6. Baskin, Robert (March 2005). "Bathymetric Map of the South Part of Great Salt Lake, Utah, 2005d". pubs.usgs.gov. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  7. C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Yellow Mariposa Lily: Calochortus luteus, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg

References

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