Information About

Barter Island

Quick Facts

Open in The Map Barter Island on The Map

Location

70 ° 7' 5.002" N,
143 ° 40' 0.001" W

Region

North Slope

Nearest City

Kaktovik

Elevation

56 ft (17.07 m)

Barter Island in Detail.

About

On the Arctic coast E of Arey Island. On coast of Beaufort Sea between Arey and Kaktovick Lagoons, 62 mi. NW of Demarcation Point, Arctic Plain.

History

On August 4, 1826, Sir John Franklin (1828, p. 146), assuming it part of the mainland, applied the name "Point Manning" to the E point of this island. Franklin's original "Barter Island" was renamed "Arey Island" by Leffingwell (1919, p. 93), because local usage had applied the name Barter Island to the above location. John Simpson's native map dated 1855, shows "Tungak island," and on what appears to be present-day Manning Point the Eskimo name "Nu-wu-ak Point" is shown with the note "the place of barter." this is probably the source of the name Barter Island. Leffingwell gives the Eskimo name for the island as "Kaktoavik" meaning "seining place." Vilhjalmur Stefansson spells this name "Kaaktovik." See Arey Island, Kaktovik Lagoon, and Manning Point.