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Beaver Island is at . The ZIP Code is 49782. Beaver Island is also the name of an unincorporated community comprising the settled areas of the island. ECONOMY Traditionally, the island's main industries have been fishing, logging, tourism and farming. These days tourism and home and cottage construction are at the top. Only a few hundred people live on the island year round. Recreational offerings revolve around its harbor, beaches, inland lakes and the state forest, which makes up a large portion of the land. Beaver Island bills itself as America's "Emerald Isle", partly reflecting the fact that many of its residents are of Irish descent. Central Michigan University owns and operates a research facility on the island. THE KINGDOM OF BEAVER ISLAND Known mostly these days for its beaches, forests, recreational harbor and seclusion, at one time Beaver Island was the only kingdom in the United States. It started with the death of Joseph Smith , founder of the Mormons . Most Mormons considered Brigham Young to be Smith's successor but others followed the charismatic and intelligent James Jesse Strang . Facing persecution where they originally settled, Strang moved his followers to Beaver Island in 1848 . The Mormons flourished under Strang's leadership and became a political power in the region. Strang was elected to the state legislature. He also founded the first newspaper in Northern Michigan , the ''Northern Islander''. During Strang's time in the legislature, he succeeded in getting a new county organized. Manitou County included the Beaver Islands, Fox Islands, and the Manitou Islands, with the county seat at St. James. Strang also founded the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) . Eventually Strang proclaimed himself king and the power apparently went to his head. One edict dictated the type of clothing that women would wear. Two women refused and Strang had their husbands flogged. While recovering from their injuries, the husbands began plotting against Strang. On June 20 , 1856 the United States gunboat '' USS Michigan '' pulled into the harbor at St. James and invited Strang aboard. As Strang walked down the dock the two men shot him and then ran to the gunboat. The gunboat pulled out and dropped the men off at a nearby island without arresting them. After Strang died from his wounds on July 8 , 1856 mobs came from Mackinac Island and drove the Mormons off Beaver Island, confiscating the Mormons' property. In 1895, the Michigan Legislature passed a bill which repealed the bill creating Manitou County (the first attempt at this in 1877 was not successful), and the Beaver Islands became part of Charlevoix County and the Fox and Manitou Islands became part of Leelanau County . ARCHIPELAGO The islands in the Beaver Island archipelago include, in rough order of size:
Gull, Hat, Pismire, and Shoe Islands constitute the Lake Michigan division of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge . EXTERNAL LINKS
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