Zavikon Island refers to either the larger or the pair of islands in the Thousand Islands archipelago on the St. Lawrence River between New York and Ontario, two kilometres (1¼ miles) southeast of Rockport, Ontario and approximately 200 metres (660 ft) north of the international boundary. As confirmed by the Canadian Department of Natural Resources, Zavikon Island is entirely located in Canadian territory and is part of the township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.[1]
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Overview edit
In 1976, Donald Rickerd and his wife Julie Rékai Rickerd bought the two islands.[2] A bridge connects the larger island to the smaller island. A Canadian flag hangs on the bridge near the larger island, and an American flag adorns the other side. A Hungarian flag hangs on the middle of the bridge in honor of Mrs. Rickerd's Hungarian heritage. In 1988, "Zavikon Island" was established as its official name.[1]
The smaller and more southeasterly of the pair of islands is sometimes called "Little Zavikon Island." It has a US-Canada Boundary Commission reference monument, from which surveying measurements are used to calculate the international border line turning point at this section of the river. In this case, the international border's turning point is approximately 140 metres (460 ft) southeast of the southern tip of Little Zavikon Island as shown on the largest scale USGS map of the area.
A popular but incorrect tale is that the larger island is in Canada while "Little Zavikon Island" is in the United States, and that the footbridge between them is the shortest international bridge in the world.[3][4][5] Both islands fully lie within Canada.[6][7]
References edit
- ^ a b "Natural Resources Canada - Place Names - Zavikon Island". Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
- ^ "Check out the story of one of the world's shortest bridge that was owned by Hungarians - Daily News Hungary". dailynewshungary.com. 2020-04-21. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
- ^ Clarke, Jay (July 17, 1983). "Retreat to the river on the St. Lawrence islands". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. I09. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ Chan, Elise D. (2004). Jefferson County. Arcadia Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-7385-3547-0.
- ^ Shortest International Bridge, Twelve Mile Circle, retrieved 2011-10-15
- ^ "ONTERM GeoNames Index: Zachary Islands — Zigzag Island". Government of Ontario. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
- ^ "Natural Resources Canada - Place Names - Zavikon Island". Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
External links edit
- "The World's Shortest International Bridge." Atlas Obscura