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Isle Royale was formed several thousand years ago by molten lava. The island received its unique appearance from years of exposure to glaciers. The giant sheets of ice moved across the surface of the island and cut large grooves into the surface, which today are visible as the many ridge lines, cliffs and valleys. When the glaciers melted away they left deposits of mud, silt and water. The mud and silt provided a very rich growing environment for plants and trees, while the water filled in the many depressions on the island and formed the lakes and swamps. The park covers 894 square miles (2,320 km2), with 209 square miles (540 km2) above water. The presence of trees and plants lured birds and insects to the island and they were eventually followed by small animals which made the 15 mile crossing from Canada when the lake froze over during the winter months.
- In the early 1800's fisherman started to notice Isle Royale because the area around the island held many popular types of fish. In 1837 the American Fur Company built several fishing camps on the island, but they were forced to stop operations in 1841 because of economic depression. Several fishing companies returned to the island years later, but were not able to get a large enough profit to make it a permanent way of life on the island. Some time in the 1920's, Albert Stoll, a writer for the Detroit News newspaper, made a couple trips to the island and wrote several articles about the island in the paper. It is Albert Stoll who has been given credit as being the driving force behind the movement to make Isle Royale a national park. Today, the Stoll Trail near the Rock Harbor lodge bears his name. It was in 1931 that Congress passed legislation to make Isle Royale a national park and the island saw yet another change in it's use. Isle Royale has now become a haven for backpackers, kayakers, divers and scientists and is visited by roughly 15,000 people annually making it one of the least visited of America's national parks.