Zug Island
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Detroit River, River Rouge, Michigan, U.S. |
Coordinates | 42°16′58″N 83°06′41″W / 42.28278°N 83.11139°W |
Area | 0.93 sq mi (2.4 km2) |
Highest elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
Administration | |
United States | |
State | Michigan |
County | Wayne |
City | River Rouge |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 (permanent) |
Zug Island is a heavily industrialized island within the city of
History
Originally a marsh-filled peninsula at the mouth of the River Rouge, it served as an uninhabited Native American burial ground for thousands of years.[1] Upon European arrival, the land was incorporated into Ecorse Township, making up the very northeast corner of the township. The beginning of interest in developing the land came when Samuel Zug, one of the founders of the Republican Party and a staunch abolitionist, came to Detroit from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1836 to make his fortune in the furniture industry with the money he earned as a bookkeeper.[2][3] Shortly after, Marcus Stevenson, a Detroit financier, went into business with him.
The Stevenson & Zug Furniture Company flourished until 1859 when Samuel Zug, by then a rich man, dissolved the partnership. He decided to invest in real estate to provide security for his wife, Anna. Envisioning a luxurious estate on the Detroit River, Zug bought 325 acres (1.32 km2) of marshy land below Fort Wayne from the town of Delray in 1876. But the dampness was too much for the Zugs, and after 10 years they abandoned their home.[2]
In 1888, Zug allowed the River Rouge Improvement Company to cut a small canal through the south section of his property to more directly connect the Rouge River to the Detroit River. This Short Cut Canal, as it came to be known, was enlarged in the early 1920s by
Zug became interested in politics and served as Wayne County Auditor under Gov. John J. Bagley. He died in 1896 when he was 80.
Steel mill
The Detroit Iron Works brought ironmaking to Zug Island in 1901 with the commissioning of a
When National Steel became insolvent in 2003 most of the island's facilities were purchased, along with the rest of what is now called the Great Lakes Works,
Iron produced at Zug Island was transported in
U.S. Steel announced in December 2019 that it would idle most of its operations in the area, including all of its operations on Zug Island, by April 2020.[5] Primary steelmaking activities shut down in April 2020, and the hot strip mill shut down in June of the same year, but in January 2021, the Detroit Free Press reported that there remained 500 employees working at the plant, and that "a few operations [were] ongoing — as long as demand will support them".[6][needs update]
Wildlife
Despite the island's extremely developed industrial landscape, areas along the south and west shores are left undeveloped to provide habitat for wildlife. Foxes and once-endangered peregrine falcons, which frequent large outdoor structures such as the gantry cranes at the ore docks, thrive on the island and offshore. At the bottom of the Detroit River is a man-made bed of coal cinders which serves as a rare spawning site for lake sturgeon, a threatened species. Less desirable are the sizable and sometimes troublesome populations of gulls, feral cats and rats.
Environmental impact
One of the most pressing problems in the neighborhoods surrounding Zug Island is poor air quality. According to an article in the January 20, 2010, edition of the Detroit Free Press, the neighborhoods around the area compose six of the ten most polluted zip codes in Michigan. In the article, residents cite air quality samples containing
Noise and vibration
In 2011, the Zug Island area was identified by
The city of River Rouge reported in the Star that it cannot afford to spend any more money on investigating the hum. They claim the City Council had already spent over $1 million to help Windsor and Ontario find the source of the noise. However, they say it likely comes from the steel mill facilities on the island.[11]
In April 2013, a Canadian scientist used sound-level meters and a portable "pentangular array" of cameras and microphones to try to accurately identify the source of the sound, in order to know whom exactly to ask to fix it.[12]
The results of the 2013 study were released on May 23, 2014. Although contemporaneous news reports claim the study confirmed that Zug Island was the source of the Hum,[13][14] the report's findings actually stated "the most probable source of the Hum points well to the South of Zug Island. The bulk of our observations from both stations do not support the hypothesis that the source of the Hum emanates from Zug Island."[15]
Reports of the Hum ceased after the US Steel plant on Zug Island ceased operations in April 2020.[16]
In popular culture
The island is mostly off-limits to the public. Cameras are prohibited on the premises,[17] so pictures of the island's interior are rare. Due to its location and relative security, many urban legends exist regarding the island. One popular legend claims that the island is home to a correctional facility or prison, but no such facility exists on the island. Another popular claim is that parts of the movie RoboCop were filmed there. The island is mentioned by name in the movie, but the steel mill shots in RoboCop were actually filmed at the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.'s Monessen Works in Pennsylvania.[18]
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald of Great Lakes shipwreck fame was laden with taconite destined for Zug Island on her fateful voyage in 1975.[19][20]
In 2011, Detroit based author Gregory Fournier published his novel, Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel.[21]
Zug Izland, a Detroit-based rock band in association with Insane Clown Posse, named themselves after the island and self describe their sound as "Juggalo Rock". ICP themselves have made references to Zug Island in their songs "The Shaggy Show", "In the Haughhh!" "Cotton Candy & Popsicles" and "Toxic Love".
Part of the island can also be seen in the background of the cover art for Insane Clown Posse (at the time, Inner City Posse)'s EP, Dog Beats. This EP was the very first release on Psychopathic Records.
See also
References
- ISBN 9780814333532. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 16, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Rubin, Neil (19 April 2020). "Mill workers at Zug Island steel themselves for the end". The Detroit News. Gary Miles. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- ^ Allnutt, Brian (23 January 2020). "'The dirtiest square mile in Michigan'". Curbed Detroit. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- ^ Deaux, Joe (2019-12-20). "U.S. Steel to cut 1,545 Michigan jobs as weakness overwhelms Trump's protection". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
- ^ Thibodeau & Hall, Ian & Kalea (20 December 2019). "Layoffs loom at U.S. Steel's Zug Island mill despite tariffs". The Detroit News. Gary Miles. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- ^ Witsil, Frank (January 5, 2021). "Steel mill at Zug Island still operating with a fraction of the workforce it once had". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Lam, Tina (June 20, 2010). "48217: Life in Michigan's most polluted ZIP code". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan: Gannett. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ Schmid, Doug (September 21, 2011). "Zug Island likely culprit of Windsor hum". The Windsor Star. Postmedia Network Inc. Archived from the original on December 25, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ "Mysterious noise escalates in Windsor, Ontario". CBC News. January 30, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ Ashifa Kassam (June 7, 2016). "The 'Windsor Hum': where is the noise plaguing a city of 210,000 coming from? | World news | The Guardian". The Guardian. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "River Rouge calls off search for Windsor Hum". CBC News. November 7, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ Tingley, Kim (June 24, 2013). "The Sound and the Fury". OnEarth.org. NRDC. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "Mysterious Windsor Hum traced to Zug Island, Mich". CBC News. May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
- ^ "Mysterious Windsor hum's source revealed as Zug Island — but scientists still have no idea what the cause is". National Post. May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
- ^ Colin Novak (May 23, 2014). "Summary of the 'Windsor Hum Study' Results". Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "Infamous 'Windsor Hum' finally dies down as U.S. Steel idles". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Zug Island". Google Maps. July 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ Batz, Bob Jr. (September 7, 2000). "A celluloid pilgrimage: Brothers journey from Dundee to see 'RoboCop' location". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: PG Publishing Co. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ "About the Ship". Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 26, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ McCall, Timothy C. "Timeline of Events for the Edmund Fitzgerald". S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald Online. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ "Meet Author Greg Fournier". Nicola's Books. July 20, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
External links
- Zug Island Photo Essay
- U.S. Steel
- Men and Mills of Great Lakes Steel. Great Lakes Steel Corporation. 1948. OCLC 38219465.