Russell Island, River island in Clay Township, Michigan, United States
Russell Island is a residential community in the St. Clair River situated between the United States and Canada, consisting of around 150 cottages and residential dwellings. The island contains docks, walkways, and shared spaces designed for water-based access and pedestrian movement throughout the community.
The island developed in the early 1900s as a summer retreat, with steamboats bringing visitors from Detroit to the resort. Over time it transformed into a permanent residential community while retaining the water-based infrastructure and shared facilities from its tourist origins.
This place serves as a residential community where water-based living shapes daily routines and creates bonds between neighbors. People here embrace slower transportation and closer connections to nature, making the waterfront lifestyle central to how the community functions.
Getting to the island requires a passenger ferry or private boat from the mainland, as motorized vehicles are not permitted. Once there, visitors move around on foot or by golf cart, making navigation simple and safe throughout the small residential area.
The community is actually part of a cluster of small formations, including Anderson Island to the northwest and another area to the southwest. These neighboring landmasses are part of the same river system and reveal how the waterway created multiple connected settlement points.
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