West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge
| West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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West Sister Light with Keeper's Dwelling
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| Location | Jerusalem Township, Lucas County, Ohio, United States |
| Nearest city | Toledo, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 41°44′23″N 83°6′19″W / 41.73972°N 83.10528°WCoordinates: 41°44′23″N 83°6′19″W / 41.73972°N 83.10528°W |
| Area | 77 acres (31 ha) |
| Established | 1937 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Website | West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge |
West Sister Island is an island of the U.S. state of Ohio located in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. The 82 acres (33 ha) island, jointly owned by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is Ohio's only designated Wilderness Area, the West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge.
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.
The island is part of the Pelee Archipelago which also includes East Sister Island and Middle Sister Island (both in Ontario, Canada). West Sister Island is roughly 13 miles west of Rattlesnake Island, 14.5 miles east of Turtle Island, and 8.75 miles due north of the Ohio mainland.
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 an active aid to navigation, and is one of the oldest lighthouses to survive on the Great Lakes.
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Wikipedia