Necker Island
Encyclopedia
Necker Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean
, 8 mi (7 nmi; 12.9 km) north of the Tropic of Cancer
, located at 23°34′N 164°42′W. It is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
, located 155 mi (134.7 nmi; 249.4 km) northwest of Nihoa
and 430 mi (373.7 nmi; 692 km) northwest of Honolulu
, and is part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge within the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument
.
The United States Census Bureau
reports its land area as 182,890 square meters, or 45.193 acres (182,889.7 m²). The island is rocky with steep sides and has very little soil. Its highest elevation is 277 feet (84.4 m).
s and stone artifacts much like those found in the main Hawaiian Islands
. Because of this, many anthropologists
believe that the island was a ceremonial and religious site. According to the myths and legends of the people of Kauai, which lies to the southeast, Necker Island was the last known refuge for a race of mythical "little people" called the Menehune
. According to the legend, the Menehune settled on Necker after being chased off Kaua'i by the stronger Polynesians
and subsequently built the various stone structures there. Visits to the island are said to have started a few hundred years after the main Hawaiian Islands were inhabited, and ended a few hundred years before European contact. French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse
was the first European to visit the island, in 1786. The island is named after Jacques Necker
. The islands were formally annexed in 1894 by the Provisional Government of Hawaii
.
Because of the island's usage by Native Hawaiians as a ceremonial and religious site in Ancient Hawaii
, the island was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1988.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, 8 mi (7 nmi; 12.9 km) north of the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
, located at 23°34′N 164°42′W. It is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands or the Leeward Islands are the small islands and atolls in the Hawaiian island chain located northwest of the islands of Kauai and Niihau. They are administered by the U.S. state of Hawaii except Midway Atoll, which has temporary residential facilities and is...
, located 155 mi (134.7 nmi; 249.4 km) northwest of Nihoa
Nihoa
Nihoa , also known as Bird Island or Moku Manu, is the largest and tallest of ten islands and atolls in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands . The island is located at the southern end of the NWHI chain, southeast of Necker Island...
and 430 mi (373.7 nmi; 692 km) northwest of Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, and is part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge within the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument
The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is a World Heritage listed, U.S. National Monument encompassing of ocean waters, including ten islands and atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, internationally recognized for both its cultural and natural values as follows:"The area has deep...
.
The United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
reports its land area as 182,890 square meters, or 45.193 acres (182,889.7 m²). The island is rocky with steep sides and has very little soil. Its highest elevation is 277 feet (84.4 m).
Description
Few signs of long-term human habitation have been found. However, the island contains 33 stone shrineShrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
s and stone artifacts much like those found in the main Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. Because of this, many anthropologists
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
believe that the island was a ceremonial and religious site. According to the myths and legends of the people of Kauai, which lies to the southeast, Necker Island was the last known refuge for a race of mythical "little people" called the Menehune
Menehune
In Hawaiian mythology, the Menehune [pronounced meh-neh-HOO-neh] are said to be a people, sometimes described as dwarfs in size, who live in the deep forests and hidden valleys of the Hawaiian Islands, far from the eyes of normal humans. Their favorite food is the maia , but they also like...
. According to the legend, the Menehune settled on Necker after being chased off Kaua'i by the stronger Polynesians
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
and subsequently built the various stone structures there. Visits to the island are said to have started a few hundred years after the main Hawaiian Islands were inhabited, and ended a few hundred years before European contact. French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
was the first European to visit the island, in 1786. The island is named after Jacques Necker
Jacques Necker
Jacques Necker was a French statesman of Swiss birth and finance minister of Louis XVI, a post he held in the lead-up to the French Revolution in 1789.-Early life:...
. The islands were formally annexed in 1894 by the Provisional Government of Hawaii
Provisional Government of Hawaii
The Provisional Government of Hawaii abbreviated "P.G." was proclaimed on January 17, 1893 by the 13 member Committee of Safety under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole...
.
Because of the island's usage by Native Hawaiians as a ceremonial and religious site in Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
, the island was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1988.
Further reading
- http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-show_geoid=Y&-tree_id=4001&-_caller=geoselect&-context=dt&-errMsg=&-all_geo_types=N&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_P001&-redoLog=true&-transpose=N&-search_map_config=|b=50|l=en|t=4001|zf=0.0|ms=sel_00dec|dw=0.0434325535289488|dh=0.030379461750392432|dt=gov.census.aff.domain.map.EnglishMapExtent|if=gif|cx=-157.9258718592724|cy=21.666164504299697|zl=3|pz=3|bo=318:317:316:314:313:323:319|bl=362:393:358:357:356:355:354|ft=350:349:335:389:388:332:331|fl=381:403:204:380:369:379:368|g=05000US15003&-PANEL_ID=p_dt_geo_map&-_lang=en&-geo_id=100$10000US150030114981001&-CONTEXT=dt&-format=&-search_results=100$10000US150030114981001&-CHECK_SEARCH_RESULTS=N&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-fully_or_partially=NNecker Island: Block 1001, Block Group 1, Census Tract 114.98, Honolulu County, Hawaii], United States Census Bureau.