12 Facts About Howland Island

1.

For statistical purposes, Howland is grouped as one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands.

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2.

Howland Island is primarily a nesting, roosting and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds and marine wildlife.

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3.

Howland Island was at last named on after a lookout who sighted it from the whaleship Isabella under Captain Geo.

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4.

Howland Island had 18 crew members who scoured the island for sustenance such as oysters, water, and birds.

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5.

Bligh's account on Howland Island is open to question since his route in the boat began between Tonga and Tofua and ran more or less west directly to Timor.

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6.

Howland Island was uninhabited when the United States took possession of it under the Guano Islands Act of 1856.

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7.

However, when the United States Guano Company dispatched a vessel of their own in 1859 to mine the guano they found that Howland Island was already occupied by men sent there by the American Guano Company.

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8.

Settlement was named Itascatown after the USCGC Itasca that brought the colonists to Howland and made regular cruises between the other equatorial islands during that era.

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9.

Howland Island was designated as a scheduled refueling stop for American pilot Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan on their round-the-world flight in 1937.

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10.

Howland Island was selected as the group's leader and he spent more than three years on Howland, far longer than the average recruit.

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11.

Howland Island was occupied by a battalion of the United States Marine Corps in September1943 and was known as Howland Island Naval Air Station until May1944.

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12.

Howland Island habitat has suffered from the presence from multiple invasive exotic species.

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