Selden Island
Encyclopedia
Selden Island is a 408-acre island in the Potomac River
, located about 32 km (19.9 mi) WNW of Washington, DC. It is about 4 km long and 0.4–0.5 km wide (2.5 x 1/4–1/3 miles). Although it is located within Montgomery County, Maryland
, the only road access is via a bridge connecting it to the Loudoun County, Virginia
side of the river.
Archaeological evidence indicates the island has been a site of human activity since the Early Woodland period
, around 1000 BCE. A characteristic type of pottery
known as Selden Island ware dates from this period. It is also the site of a significant Late Woodland period settlement known as the Walker Prehistoric Village
, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
In 2002, following the diagnosis of two Loudoun County teenagers with malaria
, mosquitoes from the island were found to carry the Plasmodium vivax
malarial parasite.
In 2004, Selden Island was purchased by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
as an addition to the Janelia Farm Research Campus
. It is currently being leased as a sod farm
.
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, located about 32 km (19.9 mi) WNW of Washington, DC. It is about 4 km long and 0.4–0.5 km wide (2.5 x 1/4–1/3 miles). Although it is located within Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, the only road access is via a bridge connecting it to the Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
side of the river.
Archaeological evidence indicates the island has been a site of human activity since the Early Woodland period
Woodland period
The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
, around 1000 BCE. A characteristic type of pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
known as Selden Island ware dates from this period. It is also the site of a significant Late Woodland period settlement known as the Walker Prehistoric Village
Walker Prehistoric Village Archeological Site
Walker Prehistoric Village Archeological Site is an archeological site located near Poolesville, Montgomery County, Maryland. The site is a large Late Woodland village located on Selden Island in the Potomac River...
, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
In 2002, following the diagnosis of two Loudoun County teenagers with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, mosquitoes from the island were found to carry the Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium vivax is a protozoal parasite and a human pathogen. The most frequent and widely distributed cause of recurring malaria, P. vivax is one of the four species of malarial parasite that commonly infect humans. It is less virulent than Plasmodium falciparum, which is the deadliest of the...
malarial parasite.
In 2004, Selden Island was purchased by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a United States non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was founded by the American businessman Howard Hughes in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological and medical research in the United...
as an addition to the Janelia Farm Research Campus
Janelia Farm Research Campus
The Janelia Farm Research Campus is a research campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that opened in October 2006. The campus is located in Loudoun County, Virginia, near the town of Ashburn...
. It is currently being leased as a sod farm
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
.