Rugged Island (Alaska)

Rugged Island is a barrier island at the mouth of Resurrection Bay near Seward in the U.S. state of Alaska.[1][2] The island is 2.4 miles long, 1.7 miles wide, and is primarily mountainous, consisting of mostly steep hills, peaks and vertical cliffs. The island's curved shape wraps three quarters of the way around Rugged Island's only anchorage, a central inlet known as Mary's Bay.[3] Rugged Island is a popular destination for kayaking, sailing, camping, and guided hikes to the abandoned fort on its shores in the summer.

Rugged Island
Geography
LocationResurrection Bay, Pacific Ocean
Coordinates59.857°N 149.381°W / 59.857; -149.381
ArchipelagoResurrection Archipelago
Highest elevation1,436 ft (437.7 m)
Highest pointUnnamed
Administration
United States
StateAlaska
BoroughKenai Peninsula
Demographics
Population0

History

The island was largely uninhabited until 1942. During World War II, the United States Army built a pair of forts, Fort McGilvray on Caines Head, and Fort Bulkley on the southern tip of Rugged Island. A jeep access road from Mary's Bay to the fort, searchlights, fire control stations, a large gun battery, and a radar installation were also constructed.[4] At its peak, Fort Bulkley was home to 80 men. In 1944, with the war winding down, the fort was abandoned. The well-preserved fort and the remains of a dock can still be seen to this day.[5]

References
  1. "Rugged Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  2. "Alaska Topo Maps by TopoZone". TopoZone.
  3. "Resurrection Bay Topo Map in Kenai Peninsula". TopoZone.
  4. "Alaska Forts". www.northamericanforts.com.
  5. "Fort Bulkley - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts". fortwiki.com.


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