Topography of Stag Island

Open forum for regional discussion. (extension of the Information Search page for off topic & personal discussion)
Bookworm

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by Bookworm »

Thanks for sharing your really cool memories.
statmk

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by statmk »

I last sailed 33 years ago. But the"old-timers" always called Fawn Island Wood Tick Island. They said that was what it was called before it was developed and sold to auto execs. That was what they always said anyway.
MattJ

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by MattJ »

My grandparents had a cottage on Stag island back in the 60's-75.
I spent all my summers there. Something else of note there was a small patch at south end of island where bamboo grew.
At the beginning of summer my buddy and I would go down and cut us 1 bamboo stock each for our fishing poles.We used to just call those canals on the west side of the island, used to see the odd fisherman in them bass fishing. Our cottage was on the east side and ships like the Cliffs Victory would use that side channel to go to Shell. We would yell at the top of our lungs Blow Your Horn!! and always get a response! Fun times
ed

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by ed »

This may be a bit off subject but, to add to mr link's idea that low land along the Saint Clair river was filled in to create valuable river front property I'd like to add my story. during the 50's and 60's I spent my summers on Russell island. my parents owned the very last home on the south end of the island, right next to the 'Indian cut'. the island between Russell island and Harson's island was a swamp called Smith's island. Smith's island, being very low ground, was a great place to go frog hunting and we enjoyed many frog leg meals from this swamp. in the late 50's and early 60's the government was looking for a place deposit sand and mud from dredging the steamer channel. Smith's island was 'walled off' and an 18 inch pipe was used to fill the island with sand and mud. we lost our 'frog pond' and today Smith's island sits 'high and dry' and i'm positive that worthless land was turned into very valuable river front property. thanks for taking the time to read my old story -- ed.
Bookworm

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by Bookworm »

Mr Link wrote:First, its not bedrock. Bedrock is roughly 90 feet below the water level at Port Huron and is likely similar at Stag Island. So what you are seeing is glacial till.

I couldn't find anything definitive about the channels online. But I suspect they were dredged for two reasons.

First would be short term gain of selling the dredged sand and gravel. This report mentions that lots of dredge material from near Stag Island was sold commercially as sand and gravel in the 1930's.

The link is a PDF that takes a while to download. If you look at it, search for the word Stag:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... 5I_YJDRBbw

Second, I suspect that someone was trying to improve the commercial value of that real estate by dredging access channels through it. Look at Fawn Island, and look at Harsons Island, especially the lower end. There are hundreds of dredged access channels to provide homeowners with waterfront access. My hunch is that some real estate developer did that on Stag Island as well, but for some reason, the development never took off.
Thank you for your time and research. One of my mottos is, "We're never too old to learn something new," and you've added to my learning.
Mr Link
Posts: 1198
Joined: December 6, 2014, 3:43 pm

Re: Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by Mr Link »

First, its not bedrock. Bedrock is roughly 90 feet below the water level at Port Huron and is likely similar at Stag Island. So what you are seeing is glacial till.

I couldn't find anything definitive about the channels online. But I suspect they were dredged for two reasons.

First would be short term gain of selling the dredged sand and gravel. This report mentions that lots of dredge material from near Stag Island was sold commercially as sand and gravel in the 1930's.

The link is a PDF that takes a while to download. If you look at it, search for the word Stag:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... 5I_YJDRBbw

Second, I suspect that someone was trying to improve the commercial value of that real estate by dredging access channels through it. Look at Fawn Island, and look at Harsons Island, especially the lower end. There are hundreds of dredged access channels to provide homeowners with waterfront access. My hunch is that some real estate developer did that on Stag Island as well, but for some reason, the development never took off.
Bookworm

Topography of Stag Island

Unread post by Bookworm »

Despite having lived here since 2011, in many respects I'm somewhat of a newbie to the area, especially regarding historical geology. Looking at a sattelite map of Stag Island, there are a series of what appear to be deep cuts in a rock bed. Was there quarrying on the island, or what am I seeing?
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