Beechey Island
| Native name: Piiti Ailant | |
|---|---|
 Beechey Island
Beechey Island
Location in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
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| Geography | |
| Location | Northern Canada |
| Coordinates | 74°43′N 091°51′W / 74.717°N 91.850°WCoordinates: 74°43′N 091°51′W / 74.717°N 91.850°W |
| Archipelago |
Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Area | 4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 198 m (650 ft) |
| Highest point | Un-named |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Territory | Nunavut |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
| Additional information | |
| Official name | Beechey Island Sites National Historic Sites of Canada |
| Designated | 1993 |
Beechey Island (Inuktitut Piiti Ailant) is an island located in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago of Nunavut, Canada, in Wellington Channel. It is separated from the southwest corner of Devon Island by Barrow Strait. Other features include Wellington Channel, Erebus Harbour, and Terror Bay.
The first European visit the island was in 1819 by Captain William Edward Parry. The island was named after the artist William Beechey (1753–1839) by his son Frederick William Beechey (1796–1856) who was then serving as Parry's lieutenant.
It is the site of several very significant events in the history of Arctic exploration. In 1845, the British explorer Sir John Franklin, commanding a new but ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage aboard HMSs Erebus and Terror, chose the protected harbor of Beechey Island for his first winter encampment. The site was not discovered until 1851 when British and American search vessels anchored nearby.
They found a large stone cairn, along with the graves of three of Franklin's crew -- Petty Officer John Torrington, Royal Marine Private William Braine, and Able Seaman John Hartnell—but no written record or indication of where Franklin planned to sail the next season. In 1850 Edward Belcher used the island as a base. There are memorials to Franklin and other polar explorers and sailors on the island, including Joseph René Bellot.
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