Baker Island

2025-07-30T16:57:27Z

148.78.252.2: /* Human debris and remnants */ based on context, the drums scattered around the island are almost certainly storage vessels and not musical instruments

{{Short description|Pacific atoll of the United States}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}

{{Infobox islands
|name = Baker Island
|native_name =
|image_name = Nwrbakerisle a320.gif
|image_caption = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aerial view of Baker Island
|image_size =
|map = Oceania
|map_caption = Location of Baker Island in the Pacific Ocean
|nickname = New Nantucket
|location = [[Pacific Ocean]]
|coordinates = {{Coord|0|11|45|N|176|28|45|W|display=inline,title|type:isle_scale:10000_region:UM-81_source:gnis-1392997}}
|archipelago =
|area_km2 = 2.1
|length_km = 1.81
|width_km = 1.13
|coastline_km = 4.8
|highest_mount =
|elevation_m = 8
|population = 0
|population_as_of = 2000
|country = [[United States]]
|timezone1 = International Date Line West
|utc_offset1 = −12:00
|country_admin_divisions_title = Status
|country_admin_divisions = [[Territories of the United States|Unincorporated]]
|footnotes = {{Infobox protected area
| alt_name = '''Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge'''
| iucn_category = Ia
| designated = 1974
| child = yes
| website = {{URL|https://www.fws.gov/refuge/baker-island}}}}
}}

'''Baker Island''', once known as '''New Nantucket''' in the early 19th century,<ref>Rauzon, Mark J. (2016). ''Isles of Amnesia: The History, Geography, and Restoration of America's Forgotten Pacific Islands''. University of Hawai'i Press, Latitude 20. Page 110. {{ISBN|9780824846794}}.</ref> is a small, uninhabited [[atoll]] located just north of the [[Equator]] in the central [[Pacific Ocean]], approximately {{convert|1920|mi|km|abbr=off}} southwest of [[Honolulu]]. Positioned almost halfway between [[Hawaii]] and Australia, its closest neighbor is [[Howland Island]], situated {{Convert|42|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the [[Points of the compass|north-northwest]]. Both Baker and Howland Islands have been claimed as [[territories of the United States]] since 1857, though the [[United Kingdom]] regarded them as part of the [[British Empire]] between 1897 and 1936 but did not actually annex them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands {{!}} Facts & Information {{!}} Infoplease |url=https://www.infoplease.com/countries/baker |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=www.infoplease.com |language=en}}</ref> They were not being used when a U.S. colonization attempt was started in 1935, and the next year formal reassertion of U.S. sovereignty was issued. During [[World War II]] the Japanese Empire attacked the island, and it was evacuated and a small military base was established. The island was an important navigation beacon in the remote Pacific waters during and after World War II. In the 1970s it was made into a nature preserve and has remained so into the 21st century.

Covering an area of {{convert|0.81|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}},<ref name=CIAWF>{{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges|access-date=25 April 2014|year=2014}}</ref> with {{convert|3.0|mi|km|abbr=on}} of coastline,<ref name=CIAWF /> Baker Island experiences an [[equatorial climate|equatorial]] [[climate]], characterized by average temperatures around {{Convert|80|F|C}}, minimal rainfall, persistent winds, and strong sunlight. The [[terrain]] is flat and sandy, surrounded by a narrow [[fringing reef]]. Unlike many atolls, Baker Island lacks a central [[lagoon]], with its highest point being {{Convert|26|ft|m|abbr=on}} above [[sea level]].<ref name=CIAWF /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Howland Island {{!}} Wildlife, Coral Reefs & Lagoons {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Howland-Island |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

Today, Baker Island is part of the Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge, an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated]] and unorganized territory of the U.S. The island is managed by the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] and is visited annually for [[Conservation biology|conservation]] purposes. Statistically, Baker Island is grouped with the [[United States Minor Outlying Islands]] and, along with Howland Island, is among the last places on Earth to experience the [[New Year]], operating in the [[UTC−12:00|UTC−12:00 time zone]], just east of the International Date Line.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Richmond |first1=Laurie |last2=Kotowicz |first2=Dawn |date=May 2015 |title=Equity and access in marine protected areas: The history and future of 'traditional indigenous fishing' in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.11.007 |journal=Applied Geography |volume=59 |pages=117–124 |doi=10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.11.007 |bibcode=2015AppGe..59..117R |issn=0143-6228|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
It is one of the most remote U.S. possessions in the equatorial Pacific.<ref>Rauzon, Mark J. (2016). ''Isles of Amnesia: The History, Geography, and Restoration of America's Forgotten Pacific Islands''. University of Hawai'i Press, Latitude 20. Pages 38 and 104. {{ISBN|9780824846794}}.</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Soldierfish, Baker Island NWR.jpg|thumb|left|[[Myripristis|Soldierfish]] among Baker Island corals]]
A cemetery and remnants from previous settlements are located near the middle of Baker Island's west coast, where the boat landing area is situated. There are no [[port]]s or [[harbor]]s on the island, and offshore anchorage is prohibited. The narrow, fringing reef surrounding Baker Island presents a significant maritime hazard, making access to the shore difficult. To aid in navigation, a [[day beacon]] is positioned near the site of the former village.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CIA - The World Factbook -- Baker Island |url=https://user.iiasa.ac.at/~marek/fbook/05/print/fq.html |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=user.iiasa.ac.at}}</ref>

Baker Island's abandoned [[World War II]] [[runway]], which measures {{convert|5,463|ft|m|abbr=on}} in length, is now completely overgrown with vegetation and is unserviceable.<ref name="FWShistory" />

The United States asserts an [[exclusive economic zone]] (EEZ) extending {{convert|200|nmi|km|lk=in}} and a [[territorial waters|territorial sea]] of {{convert|12|nmi|km|abbr=on}} around the Island.

During a [[colonization]] attempt from 1935 to 1942, Baker Island was likely operating on Hawaii time, which was then 10.5 hours behind [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]].<ref>{{cite book|first1=Elgen M. |last1=Long|first2=Marie K.|last2= Long|title=Amelia Earhart: the mystery solved|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2000|page=206|quote=Thursday, July 1, <nowiki>[1937]</nowiki> ... Howland Island was using the 10+30 hour time zone—the same as Hawaii standard time.}}</ref> Today, the island remains uninhabited, and its time zone is unspecified, though it falls within a [[nautical time zone]] 12 hours behind UTC (UTC−12:00).

==History==
[[File:Orthographic projection over Baker Island.png|thumb|left|Orthographic projection over Baker Island]]
Baker Island was first discovered in 1818 by Captain Elisha Folger of the [[Nantucket]] [[Whaler|whaling ship]] ''Equator'', who named the island "New Nantucket". In August 1825, it was sighted again by Captain [[Starbuck (whaling family)#Obed Starbuck|Obed Starbuck]] aboard the ''Loper'', another Nantucket whaler. The island later took its name from [[Captain]] Michael Baker, who visited it in 1834.<ref>{{cite book|author=Henry Evans Maude|title=Of islands and men: studies in Pacific history|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1968}}</ref> Some accounts suggest that Baker visited the island earlier, in 1832, and returned on August 14, 1839, aboard the whaler ''Gideon Howland'', where he reportedly buried an American seaman.<ref>Bryan, 1941</ref> Captain Baker formerly claimed the island in 1855 and subsequently sold his interest to a group that later established the American Guano Company.<ref>{{cite web|title=GAO/OGC-98-5 - U.S. Insular Areas: Application of the U.S. Constitution|date=November 7, 1997|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GAOREPORTS-OGC-98-5/content-detail.html|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|access-date=March 23, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927192012/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GAOREPORTS-OGC-98-5/content-detail.html|archive-date=September 27, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Guano Companies in Litigation--A Case of Interest to Stockholders|date=May 3, 1865|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1865/05/03/news/guano-companies-litigation-case-interest-stockholders-supreme-court-general-term.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 23, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510145955/http://www.nytimes.com/1865/05/03/news/guano-companies-litigation-case-interest-stockholders-supreme-court-general-term.html|archive-date=May 10, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The United States officially took possession of Baker Island in 1857 under the [[Guano Islands Act]] of 1856.<ref>{{cite book|author=Edwin Horace Bryan|title=American Polynesia: coral islands of the Central Pacific|publisher=Tongg Publishing Company|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|year=1941}}</ref> The island's [[guano]] deposits were mined by the American Guano Company from 1859 until 1878. Workers from various parts of the Pacific, including Hawai{{okina}}i, were brought in for the mining operations. The Hawaiian laborers referred to Baker Island as "{{lang|haw|Puaka‘ilima}}", named after the [[Sida fallax|ilima flower]].<ref>{{cite report|title=Early Cultural and Historical Seascape of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument: Archival and Literary Research Report|first1=Jesi|last1=Quan Bautista|first2=Savannah|last2=Smith|date=2018|number=SP-19-005|publisher=NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center|doi=10.25923/fb5w-jw23|page=3}}</ref> The scale of guano extraction can be illustrated by ship movements in late 1868, where several ships, including the British vessel ''Montebello'' and the American ship ''Eldorado'', transported tons of guano to [[Liverpool]], England.<ref>Baker's Island Report, H.L.R. Johnson, Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 19 Dec 1868</ref>

In February 1869, the British ship ''Shaftsbury,'' captained by John Davies, was [[Shipwreck|wrecked]] on Baker's Island reef after a sudden wind shift and [[squall]] caused the ship to drag its [[mooring]]s.<ref>The loss of the British ship Shaftsbury, Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 12 Jun 1869</ref> Later that year, the American ship ''Robin Hood'' was destroyed by fire while loading guano.<ref>Report from the guano islands, Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 25 Dec 1869</ref>

{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 220
| image1 = Camp on Baker Island (80-CF-79868-49).jpg
| image2 = Government House on Baker Island (80-CF-79868-39).jpg
| image3 = General View of Baker Island (80-CF-79868-45).jpg
| footer = Settlers erected makeshift campsites on Baker Island during the [[American Equatorial Islands Colonization Project]].
}}
During the [[American Equatorial Islands Colonization Project]], [[settler]]s set up temporary camps on Baker Island. On December 7, 1886, the American Guano Company sold its rights to the British firm John T. Arundel and Company. The company then used Baker Island as its headquarters for guano operations in the Pacific from 1886 to 1891. Believing that the U.S. had abandoned its claim, Arundel applied to the [[Colonial Office|British Colonial Office]] in 1897 for a license to work the island. While the United Kingdom considered Baker Island a British territory, they never formally [[Annexation|annexed]] it. The U.S. reasserted its claim in the early 1920s, and after diplomatic discussions, they initiated the American Equatorial Islands Colonization Project in 1935. In May 1936, [[Executive order|Executive Order]] 7358 was issued to reaffirm U.S. [[sovereignty]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hull |first1=Cordell |author-link1=Cordell Hull |last2=Roosevelt |first2=Franklin D. |author-link2=Franklin D. Roosevelt |year=1936 |title=Memorandum of Secretary of State Cordell Hull to the president, February 18, 1936 |url=http://home.att.net/~higley.family/HullMemo.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109003852/http://home.att.net/~higley.family/HullMemo.htm |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |access-date=March 18, 2010 |publisher=Franklin D. Roosevelt Library |df=mdy-all |location=Hyde Park, N.Y.}}</ref>

As part of the colonization effort, American settlers arrived on Baker Island aboard the [[USCGC Itasca (1929)|USCGC ''Itasca'']], which also brought colonists to neighboring Howland Island, on April 3, 1935, establishing a settlement named [[Meyerton, Baker Island|Meyerton]] to mine the guano deposits. The settlers built a lighthouse and dwellings and attempted to cultivate plants. However, most of these efforts were unsuccessful due to the island's harsh conditions, including its dry climate and the impact of seabirds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baker Island |url=http://www.anytravels.com/oceania/baker |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723085352/http://www.anytravels.com/oceania/baker/ |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |website=Any Travels}}</ref> Meyerton's population was recorded as three American civilians in the 1940 U.S. [[Census]].<ref>{{cite United States census|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch11.pdf|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch11.pdf|archive-date=2022-10-09|url-status=live|title=Sixteenth Census of the United States: Population, Volume I, Number of Inhabitants, Hawaii (Table 4)|year=1940|location=Washington, D.C.|page=1211|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref> The settlement was eventually evacuated in 1942 following Japanese attacks during World War II, and the U.S. military forces subsequently occupied the island.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge |url=https://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/History.cfm?ID=12511 |access-date=2020-07-10 |website=fws.gov |publisher=[[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]]}}</ref> The town was named for Captain H. A. Meyer, [[United States Army]], who assisted in establishing living quarters and [[rain]]water cisterns for the colonists. It was located on the west side of the island, at an elevation of {{convert|13|ft}} above sea level.<ref>{{gnis|1989467|name=Meyerton}}</ref>

==Airfield==
{{Infobox lighthouse | qid = Q28829550
| shape = cylindrical tower, no lantern<ref>{{Cite rowlett|umi|access-date=2016-11-07}}</ref>
}}

On August 11, 1943, a U.S. Army defense force arrived on Baker Island as part of the broader [[Battle of Kwajalein#Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign|Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign]] during World War II. By September 1943, the Army had constructed a {{convert|5463|ft|adj=on}} airfield on the island. This airfield served as a crucial staging base for the [[Seventh Air Force]], allowing [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24 Liberator]] bombers to launch attacks on Japanese positions, including [[Mili Atoll]] in the [[Marshall Islands]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rottman|first=Gordon|title=World War Two Pacific Island Guide| publisher=Greenwood Publishing| year=2002| isbn=9780313313950|page=332}}</ref> Additionally, the [[45th Fighter Squadron]] operated [[Curtis P-40 Warhawk|P-40]] fighters from Baker Island's airfield from September 1 to November 27, 1943. However, the strategic importance of the airfield diminished quickly, and by January 1, 1944, it was abandoned as military operations shifted further west.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Morison|first=Samuel|title=History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942-April 1944
| publisher=University of Illinois Press| year=2001| isbn=9780252070372|page=214}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Baker Island {{!}} Wildlife Sanctuary, Uninhabited, Pacific Ocean {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Baker-Island |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

==LORAN Station Baker==
The [[LORAN]] (Long Range Navigation) radio station on Baker operated from September 1944 until July 1946. This station, designated as Unit 91 with the [[Call sign|radio call sign]] NRN-1, was a critical navigation aid for U.S. military operations in the Pacific during and immediately after World War II.<ref>{{cite web |title=Loran Station Baker - loran-history.info |url=http://www.loran-history.info/Baker/baker.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824071630/http://www.loran-history.info/Baker/baker.htm |archive-date=August 24, 2010 |access-date=2010-12-03}} LORAN STATION BAKER ISLAND 0 11 46.23 N 176 28 26.14 W</ref> LORAN stations like the one on Baker Island were part of a network used to assist ships and aircraft in determining their positions accurately, particularly in the vast and often featureless expanse of the Pacific Ocean.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Coast Guard at War IV |date=August 1, 1946 |publisher=Public Health Division |volume=II}}</ref>

==Flora and fauna==
Baker Island is devoid of natural [[fresh water]] sources and receives minimal rainfall, making it an [[Aridity|arid]] and inhospitable environment. The island, over 3700 feet wide, is remote and uninhabited despite its historical significance. It is designated as a [[Nature reserve|wildlife refuge]] and is characterized by sparse vegetation, including four types of grass,<ref>U.S. Dept. of Interior. [http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/bhpage.htm Baker Island.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419040523/http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/bhpage.htm |date=April 19, 2012 }} Retrieved July 6, 2008.</ref> [[Vine|prostrate vines]], and low-growing [[shrub]]s. The treeless landscape provides a crucial habitat for various [[seabird]]s, [[wader]]s, and marine wildlife.

Baker Island has been recognized as an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) by [[BirdLife International]] due to its support for large breeding [[bird colony|colonies]] of seabirds, such as [[lesser frigatebird]]s, [[masked booby|masked boobies]] and [[sooty tern]]s. The island is home to over one million seabirds, including significant populations of albatrosses.<ref name="bli">{{cite web |author= |date=2021 |title=Baker Island |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/baker-island-iba-united-states-minor-outlying-islands-(to-usa) |access-date=22 January 2021 |website=BirdLife Data Zone |publisher=BirdLife International}}</ref> [[Bird migration|Migratory]] waders, including [[ruddy turnstone]]s, [[bar-tailed godwit]]s, [[sanderling]]s, and [[Pacific golden plover]]s, visit the island seasonally. Additionally, [[Endangered species|endangered]] species like [[Green sea turtle|green turtles]] and [[Hawksbill sea turtle|hawksbill turtles]], as well as [[Grey reef shark|gray reef sharks]], [[spinner dolphin]]s, [[monk seal]]s, and [[hermit crab]]s, can be found along the surrounding reef.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/bakerisland/|title=Redirect Page|website=www.fws.gov|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617053519/https://www.fws.gov/bakerisland/|archive-date=June 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==National Wildlife Refuge==
On June 27, 1974, [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Rogers Morton]] established the Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge. In 2009, the refuge was expanded to include submerged lands extending {{convert|12|nmi|km}} from the island's shoreline. The refuge now encompasses {{convert|531|acre|ha|abbr=off}} of land and {{convert|410184|acre|ha|abbr=off}} of surrounding marine waters.<ref>{{cite web | last = White | first = Susan | title = Welcome to Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge | publisher = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | date = August 26, 2011 | url = http://www.fws.gov/bakerisland/ | access-date = March 4, 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120327151719/http://www.fws.gov/bakerisland/ | archive-date = March 27, 2012 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Baker Island, along with six other islands, is managed by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] as part of the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In January 2009, this entity was redesignated as the [[Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument]] by President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Bush | first = George W. | author-link = George W. Bush | title = Establishment of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument: A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America | publisher = [[White House]] | date = January 6, 2009 | url = https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2009/01/20090106-6.html | access-date = March 4, 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110223202959/https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2009/01/20090106-6.html | archive-date = February 23, 2011 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> This was renamed [[Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument]] in 2025.

Environmental challenges facing the refuge include remnants of abandoned military debris from World War II and the threat of [[illegal fishing]] in offshore waters.<ref>{{cite web| title =Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge History| publisher =U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service| url =http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/History.cfm?ID=12511| access-date =April 23, 2013| url-status =live| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130528013354/http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/History.cfm?ID=12511| archive-date =May 28, 2013| df =mdy-all}}</ref> Additionally, [[invasive species]] introduced by human activity, such as [[cockroach]]es and [[coconut|coconut palm]]s, have displaced native wildlife. [[Feral cats]], which were first introduced to the island in 1937, were eradicated by 1965.<ref>{{cite web | last = Palawski | first = Donald | title = Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge: Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment §3.12 | publisher = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | date = August 2007 | url = http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/HI-PI/HBJ/Baker%20Draft%20CCP.pdf | access-date = March 5, 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120719174940/http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/HI-PI/HBJ/Baker%20Draft%20CCP.pdf | archive-date = July 19, 2012 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

Public access to Baker Island is highly restricted and requires a special use permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Permits are typically granted only to scientists and educators. Although limited tour packages are available from early June to mid-August, unauthorized visits and activities such as swimming, fishing, and lighting fires are strictly prohibited. The atoll is only visited during daylight hours, and [[scuba diving]] is restricted to scientists affiliated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Agency representatives visit the island approximately once every two years, often coordinating transportation with a [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] vessel.<ref>{{cite web| title =Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge| publisher =U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service| url =http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=12511| access-date =April 23, 2013| url-status =live| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130516183112/http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=12511| archive-date =May 16, 2013| df =mdy-all}}</ref>

==Human debris and remnants==
Debris from past human activity, particularly from the U.S. military's occupation of Baker Island during World War II, is scattered across the island and in the surrounding offshore waters. The most prominent remnant is the {{convert|5,400|by|150|ft|m|abbr=off|adj=on|sp=us}} [[Aerodrome|airstrip]], which is now completely overgrown with vegetation and is unusable.<ref name=FWShistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/History.cfm?ID=12511|title=Baker Island : History|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=September 23, 2018}}</ref> On the western coast of the island, a day beacon remains from the wartime era, although it has not been maintained since World War II. This beacon is now primarily used by albatross birds and hermit crabs for breeding, and it also serves as a [[landmark]] for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during their infrequent visits to the atoll.

In the northeast section of the island, which appears to have been the main camp area during the military occupation, the remains of several buildings and heavy equipment are still visible. Five wooden antenna poles, each approximately {{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} tall, continue to stand. Additionally, debris from several crashed aircraft, along with large equipment such as [[bulldozer]]s, can be found both on the island and underwater.

Numerous bulldozer excavations containing remnants of metal, fuel, and water [[Drum_(container)|drums]] are scattered throughout the north-central portion and along the island's northern edge. The U.S. Navy reported the loss of 11 landing craft in the surf during the wartime operations, contributing to the debris found in the waters surrounding the island.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/HI-PI/HBJ/Baker%20Draft%20CCP.pdf|work=Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex|title=Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge: Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment|date=August 2007|access-date=December 3, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511083037/http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/HI-PI/HBJ/Baker%20Draft%20CCP.pdf|archive-date=May 11, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="nolines" widths="245" perrow="4">
File:Baker Island Coastline.jpg|Baker Island coastline with red-footed booby
File:Fish and Wildlife sign on Baker Island.jpg|Fish and Wildlife sign
File:Baker Island Day Beacon content.jpg|Hermit crabs taking shade in day beacon
File:Baker settlement remains.jpg|Settlement remains, radio mast in the background
File:Baker Island Gravesite.JPG|Masked booby on gravestone
File:Baker Radio Towers.jpg|Brown noddies with radio masts in the background
File:Baker Island wreck.JPG|Landing craft wreckage on Baker Island coast
File:BakerIsland ISS010.jpg|Baker Island satellite image
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Engineering|Oceania|United States}}
* [[64th Coast Artillery (United States)]]
* [[History of the Pacific Islands]]
* [[Howland and Baker Islands]], includes coverage of the Howland-Baker EEZ
* [[List of Guano Island claims]]
* [[List of islands of the United States]]
* [[List of lighthouses in the United States#United States territories|List of lighthouses in the United States Minor Outlying Islands]]
* [[Canton and Enderbury Islands]] (U.S.- U.K condominium)
== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Baker Island}}
{{Commons category|Baker Island}}
* [http://www.fws.gov/refuge/baker_island/ Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge]
* [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states-pacific-island-wildlife-refuges/ Baker Island]. This article incorporates material from [[The World Factbook]] 2000.

{{National Wildlife Refuges of the United States}}
{{Protected areas of the United States Minor Outlying Islands}}
{{United States political divisions}}
{{Territories of the United States}}
{{Authority control | additional=Q28829550}}

[[Category:Baker Island| ]]
[[Category:Coral islands]]
[[Category:Insular areas of the United States]]
[[Category:Uninhabited Pacific islands of the United States]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of United States Minor Outlying Islands]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Oceania]]
[[Category:Seabird colonies]]

Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Baker Island