Peche Island
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Peche Island, pronounced Peach Island, is an uninhabited, currently 86-acre (reduced by erosion from a 1965 measurement of 109 acres) Canadian owned island, located at the northern end of the Detroit River, at its opening into Lake Saint Clair. It is 1.2 miles north of U. S. owned Belle Isle, and 330 meters from the Windsor shore.
The island was formed from a peninsula of the Canadian shore by the action of the Detroit River. There is a central marsh on the island. The present channel was eroded until the core of the island remained. There are man-made channels cut through the island to ensure fresh water supply and recreational opportunities. The island's flora and fauna have been heavily impacted by human activity, and the forest is the result of a rehabilitation program.
Formerly an Ontario provincial park, ownership was transferred to the City of Windsor in 1999. The Saint Lawrence Seaway passes 200 yards off its western shore and daily 1,000 foot-long ships pass.
The island offers attractive Detroit city views, a wide sandy beach and shallow river bottom, and is a favorite with summer boaters. There is no water taxi service to the island but boaters, canoers and kayakers can enjoy the island's trails and beaches and approximately 4 km of canals. The park is open only during the day. Sailors are advised to anchor along the Southern shore of the island, abeam the Windsor Yacht Club. Speed between red buoy DP2 west of Peche Island and green buoy DP5 east of Peche Island must be held below 9.3 km/h (5 knots). For kayakers, the circumnavigation distance is approximately 3 miles.
From November through March large numbers of waterfowl, especially Canvasback, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Common Merganser are all found in the nearby waters. Peregrine Falcons and Bald Eagles are often attracted by these large flocks and can sometimes be seen perched in the island's larger treetops, or in the nesting platforms constructed by the Essex County Field Naturalists' Club. Muskie and walleye, bigmouth bass, bluegill and perch are found in the waters surrounding the island, and fishing pressures are reported low. Water quality is good, and carefully monitored, as the City of Windsor's supply is drawn from nearby. Peche Island is one of the few places where the rare Blue Ash tree (Fraxinus quadrangulata) can be found.
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[edit] Name
Early French explorers' maps state the island was named Isle au Large, or Isle du Large. Possible meanings include “at a distance,” since Peche Island is the farthest island upstream, on the Detroit River, before entering Lake St. Clair or “keep your distance,” because of dangerous shallows on the north side.
The island was next called variations of "Peche" Isle, including Isle aux Pecheurs and Isle a la Peche, the French word for fish – the island was once used as a fishing station. Local accounts from folk onomastics have incorrectly derived the name from a peach orchard once located there, or connected the name with the French word for "sin," claiming the island was once the preferred site for duels and assignations.
[edit] History
The island was very likely used by natives for the abundance of fish in the waters surrounding it. After the coming of the Europeans, one Alexis Maisonville seems to have lived there briefly, and it even became known as Maisonville’s Island for a time. The first known permanent residents of the island were a French-Canadian family named Laforet dit Teno who moved to the island about sometime between 1780 (a descendant's claim) and 1812 (authenticated record), though most evidence points to occupation beginning about 1800. Jean Leforest moved to the island with his wife and his five-year-old son Charles. Jean built a homestead to verify his claim and passed the title onto Charles.
Laforet was a "habitant," or colonist, of Grosse Pointe, across the water on the U.S. side; Louis XV granted "ribbon farms" to these very early settlers -- long tracts with narrow water frontages -- in hopes of pre-empting British settlers migrating north from the Ohio River country.
In January 1781, Jean Mary Laforest was the first Laforest to be born on Peche Island. They had seven other children. There were houses and barns, with about 25 acres fenced and under cultivation.
They shared the island with local natives who occupied the western side. According to Laforest family records, Jean bartered livestock with the natives to gain ownership of the island.
In 1857, ownership was transferred to the Crown by the Chippewa Indians, but there was no great rush to acquire grants as locals thought that the island was still owned by the Laforet family.
Hiram Walker’s sons purchased the property in 1883, although some claim that the property was forcefully taken from the Laforet family by Hiram Walker's men and was cursed by the Laforets as they left. It was used as a summer home by Hiram Walker, who attempted, for many years, to develop it. Canals were dug to bring in supplies and to ensure the flow of fresh water. Yachts were purchased – the “Pastime” and the “Lurline” -- for traveling to the island from Walker’s office and for cruises and parties on the river and lakes.
Walker built a 54-room mansion. He planted many trees and established an orchard, along with building a greenhouse to cultivate flowers. He next added a golf course, stables, icehouse and a carriage house. A generator for electric power was constructed. Today, the only visible construction on the island is the ruins of the Walker estate, the result of a 1929 fire.
According to "The Ferry Steamers: The Story of the Detroit-Windsor Ferry Boats" by William Oxford, the Detroit, Belle Isle, & Windsor Ferry Company, then owners of Boblo Island Park, bought the island in 1907. In 1913, the company announced plans to turn it into an amusement park. The ferry company president, Walter Campbell, lived in Walker's summer home while planning to turn it at least temporarily into the central pavilion of his new resort. He died there at the age of 71 in 1923.
The island passed to DWFC's successor, The Bob-Lo Excursion Company, in 1939. No further development took place, and the island was sold in 1956 and then again in 1962, this time to E. J Harris, who envisioned a $30 million resort. He paid $1500 per month for the island, which he intended to expand by 500 acres with fill. Dredging started in 1965 for a 1000-well marina. The plan included an 18-hole golf course, plus Canadian-themed recreation areas: ice skating, a ski hill, restaurants, a hotel, reforestation, and possible cable car service from Windsor and Detroit. On-island transport would be by horse & carriage and dog sleds. The project was to be completed by 1972. As a 1968 newspaper ad advertised the area, at least some of this work had actually been done. He constructed several buildings and sewage, hydro, water and telephone were connected to the mainland. The project operated for one season with ferry boats from Dieppe Park and barges from Riverside. However, due to mismanagement, Harris ran into stiff opposition from neighbours and local political leaders. By 1971 he had lost $700,000 and was over $500,000 in debt. He offered Peche island for auction. The island passed briefly through the hands of a developer who foresaw an exclusive residential community on the island before the Canadian government bought it back for $400,000. Early plans to develop the island as a nature area, with groomed trails, mooring facilities and shelters, stalled for lack of funds.
The City of Windsor acquired the land from the Province of Ontario on January 1, 1999 for a fee reported at $1 million U.S. There are no plans to develop the island beyond maintaining public toilets.
[edit] Wrecks
In 1865, the 38-ton schooner Eugenie wrecked on Peche Island. The steamship Oneida ran aground there in July 1871. On July 8, 1998; the Tadoussac ran aground 2 miles east of Peche Island
[edit] Lighthouse
The Peche Island Rear Range Light was built of cast iron in 1908 to mark the narrow passage from Lake St. Clair to the Detroit River and guarded the reef for some 75 years. It was never manned.
In 1926 the height was raised to 66 feet and with that additional height the tower protected the passage until September 23, 1983, when it was scheduled for decommission and destruction. Learning of the plan to demolish the tower, a rescue effort was begun by Marine City, Michigan to relocate it to a site in the city's Waterworks Park. The tower's weight is 35 tons and with the height of 66 feet and a diameter of 14 feet the move took ingenuity and perseverance, but was finally successful.
