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Harsens Island occurs as not dry marshy location in the St. Clair River in Michigan. Politically, a island is within Clay Township in St. Clair County, Michigan. the Isl& was known as for its number one whiten settler, Jacob Harsen, a Dutchman, world health organization come from either Up to date York State in the 1780s and began farming on the Island.
Actual "ownership' of the Island remains controversial to this day. After the War of 1812, the British and US governments tacitly agreed that the boundary between the US and "British Northward United states" (i.e., Canada) ran along the western shore of the St Clair River, down the North Channel, and around Anchor Bay. British North America began on the eastern shore of the St Clair River. This left all the islands of the St Clair Flats as "Indian territory". Not until 1870, when the US Army Corps of Engineers dredged the St Clair Flats Canal at the end of the South Channel of the St Clair River did the US and British governments decide that the boundary would be down the middle of the South Channel and across Lake St Clair. Even to this day, actual "ownership" of Harsens Island is subject to controversy, with some First Nation legalists maintaining that neither the British nor the US Federal governments ever properly acquired title to the Island, or for that matter, any of the Islands on the American side of the border, from the First Nations peoples.
The St Clair River is an integral part of the Great Lakes, draining water from Lake Huron down, eventually, to Lake Erie. The river is the international boundary between the United States and Canada. The river carries more freighter traffic than the Suez and Panama Canals combined. Over one billion gallons of fresh water per day flow down the St Clair River, and through its delta region, the St. Clair Flats. Harsens Island is the major US island in the Flats. The Canadian side of the Flats has the largest islands in the delta including Walpole Island, home to the Walpole Island First Nation of Native Americans. The St Clair Flats is home to wildlife such as the great blue heron, snapping turtles, and red-winged blackbirds. The area is a popular fishing spot with sunfish, pumpkinseed fish, bluegills, and silver bass available. The State of Michigan owns about 75% of the area of the Island, and has waterfowl and wildlife santuaries throughout.
Harsens Island is the only US island in the Flats that can be reached by automobile ferry, and the only one with roads, an unicorporated community (Sans Souci, Michigan) a school and a small airport. All the other US islands-there are scores of them-must be reached by boat.
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