West Sister Island

Infobox_protected_area | name = West Sister Island Wilderness
iucn_category = Ib

---

caption =West Sister Light with Keeper's Dwelling
locator_x =
locator_y =
location = Lucas County, Ohio, USA
nearest_city = Toledo, Ohio
lat_degrees =
lat_minutes =
lat_seconds =
lat_direction = N
long_degrees =
long_minutes =
long_seconds =
long_direction = W
area = convert|77|acre|km2|0|sing=off
established = 1975
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

West Sister Island is an island of the U.S. state of Ohio located in Lake Erie. The 82 acre (33.2 ha) island is in the Western Basin of Lake Erie.

The island is jointly owned by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and managed and designated as a wilderness area. The only such area in Ohio with this designation, West Sister Island Wilderness is home to many birds. To protect vital nesting areas of the island's bird population, public access is permitted for research only, and only one day a year. [ [http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=31542 West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge ] ] Due to the large number of birds vomiting and defecating from high in the trees the island has been nicknamed "Vomit Island" by the locals, and it was featured on an episode of the television show "Dirty Jobs" with Mike Rowe.

A lighthouse was established on the westernmost point of West Sister Island in 1848 to mark the west end of the South Passage through Lake Erie’s Bass Islands. Standing on a stone foundation, the limestone and brick tower rises to a height of 55 feet (17 m). The West Sister Island Lighthouse is still active, and is one of the oldest lighthouses to survive on the Great Lakes [ [http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=273 West Sister Island Lighthouse, Ohio at Lighthousefriends.com ] ] .

Most of the island is covered with trees. Tall hackberry trees make up most of the canopy, with poison ivy on the ground. Polygonatum and a great variety of ferns, wildflowers, mushrooms, and other plant life can also be found [ [http://www.stateparks.com/west_sister_island.html West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge, an Ohio State Park near Detroit Beach, Port Clinton, Riverview, Taylor ] ] .

Ironically, after being established as a wildlife refuge, the island was used by the United States Army for artillery practice during World War II. Although the wildlife population and the lighthouse were not significantly damaged, the keeper's house was destroyed. It is also reported that fuel tanks jettisoned by dive bombers can still be found on the island [ [http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=273 West Sister Island Lighthouse, Ohio at Lighthousefriends.com ] ] .

West Sister Island was a popular stop for bootleggers during Prohibition. The island provided a certain level of visual cover from the authorities for rum runners crossing the lake. When approached by these authorities, bootleggers would often dump their illegal stash overboard. Legend has it that bottles of prohibition-era alcohol can still be found on the bottom of the lake around the island.

West Sister Island was once rumored to be the final resting place of missing Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. It was speculated that after his abduction in Detroit, he was brought by boat to the island and buried. The island's jungle-like environment would have made discovery of his remains difficult; however these conditions would also have made the deposit of his remains difficult, therefore the island is not one of the more widely-considered possibilities in the case.

References