Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Difference between revisions

KnownThis area was known to the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] as ''Canaresse'', meaning "at the thickets," and later referred to as Ruyge-Bosje, meaning "shaggy bushes" or thicket,. Bombay Hook received its final name from the corruption of the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] "''Boompjes"'' or "''Boompjes Hoeck"'' meaning "little-tree point." In 1679, Mechacksett, chief of [[Kahansink]], sold Bombay Hookthese wetlands to Peter Bayard, an early Dutch settler. The price for the area was one gun, four handfuls of powdergunpowder, three waistcoats, one [[Dutch units of measurement#Volume|anker]] of liquor,<ref group= Note>An anker was a measure of volume representing the volume held in a small cask holding around 45 bottles (see [[Dutch units of measurement#Volume|Anker]]).</ref> and one kettle.

The [[Allee House (Dutch Neck Crossroads, Delaware)|Allee House]], still standing on the refuge, was built in 1753 by Abraham Allee, a [[Huguenot]] [[refugee]] from [[Artois]], [[France]]. It is currently on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The house remains in nearly original condition.

In 1939, the Bombay Hook Migratory Waterfowl Refuge was renamed the '''Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge'''.

During [[World War II]], the refuge was used as a gunnery range and for research on aerial rockets. In 1961, the fourth freshwater impoundment, Bear Swamp Pool, was added, making a total of {{convert|1,100|acre|km2|abbr=on}} of freshwater ponds that through techniques developed over the years are carefully managed to vary water levels for thousands of visiting waterfowl and shorebirds.

In 1986, Bombay Hook NWR represented the US in "World Safari", a satellite program by [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]], [[BBC]], and [[Turner Broadcasting]]. Bombay Hook NWR was selected because of its high concentration of [[snow geese]].

In 2015, the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge was featured on the fourth (2015) release of the [[America the Beautiful quarters]]. It features a [[great blue heron]], with a [[great egret]] behind it, in a salt marsh.

Small additions have been made to the refuge since 1937. The last occurred in 1993 when Bombay Hook NWR acquired Steamboat landingLanding, bringing the total to {{convert|15,978|acre|km2|abbr=on}}. Management of the refuge, including development of fifteen moist soil areas, about {{convert|1,000|acre|km2|spell=in}} of agricultural lands, warm season grass fields, and habitat diversity has significantly increased wildlife use of the refuge, particularly by bird populations.