Baker
Island Quick Fact
The
US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano
deposits were mined by US and British companies during
the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived
attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as
well as on nearby Howland
Island
- but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run
by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
situated near the middle of the west coast. |
