Information About

Barter Island

Barter Island

Quick Facts
Region:
  • North Slope
Nearest City:
Elevation:
  • 56 ft (17.07 m)
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 of Barter Island

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.