Woronkofski Island

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Woronkofski Island is an island in the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska, United States. It is separated from Wrangell Island to the east by Zimovia Strait, just west of the city of Wrangell; to the west it is separated from Zarembo Island by Stikine Strait, and to the south from Etolin Island by Chichagof Pass. Woronkofski Island has a land area of 59.382 km2 (22.9275 sq mi) and was unpopulated at the 2000 census. The city of Wrangell is exploring the possibility of utilizing Sunrise Lake on the island for hydroelectrical power and drinking water.

History

The first European to sight the island was James Johnstone, one of George Vancouver's officers during his 1791-95 expedition, in 1793. He only charted its north coast, not realizing it was an island. [1] The island was named for Lieutenant Woronkovski of the Imperial Russian Navy, who explored the south coast of the Alaska Peninsula in 1836; the name was published in 1848 on a Russian Hydrographic Department chart as "O(strov) Voronkovskiy". [2]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Sound</span> Strait in Alaska

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The Narrows is a channel in Southeast Alaska, U.S.A. It is the shortest and narrowest stretch of waterway separating Wrangell Island from the mainland, connecting Blake Channel and Eastern Passage. It was named in 1917 by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. It was first traversed and charted in 1793 by James Johnstone, one of George Vancouver's officers during his 1791-95 expedition.

Eastern Passage is a channel in Southeast Alaska, United States. It extends southeast 29 kilometres (18 mi) from the mouth of the Stikine River to The Narrows, separating the northeastern half of Wrangell Island from the mainland. It was named in 1877 by William Healy Dall of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. It was first traversed and charted in 1793 by James Johnstone, one of George Vancouver's officers during his 1791-95 expedition.

References

  1. Vancouver, George, and John Vancouver (1801). A voyage of discovery to the North Pacific ocean, and round the world. London: J. Stockdale.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Woronkofski Island

56°23′49″N132°28′52″W / 56.39694°N 132.48111°W / 56.39694; -132.48111