Summary
Oliver Point is a GNIS-named cape on Beaver Island. The September 1967 Beaver Beacon reports severe insect defoliation in a hardwood stand inland from Oliver’s Point and quotes state forester Jack Lockwood’s conclusion that buds and beechnuts were developing normally despite the leaf loss. The 2023 Beaver Island Master Plan also labels “Oliver’s Point” on its map. Together the sources document the point as a contemporary geographic and forest-management reference, without establishing the name’s origin.
Open questions
- Who was the Oliver associated with the point’s name?
- Can forestry records identify the affected stand and document later recovery?
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names (Michigan), retrieved 2026-07-28.GNIS feature 634036; feature class 'Cape'.federal · gnis · gnis_names
- Beaver Beacon, September 1967, “Beaver Isle Tree Defoliation Not Permanent.”Reports 50–80 percent leaf loss in a 1,400-acre hardwood stand inland from Oliver's Point and records state forester Jack Lockwood's assessment of the insect damage.
- Beaver Island Master Plan (Beaver Island, Mich., 2023), Map 2.2, p. 54.Map label “Oliver's Point.”