Editing Teraina (section)

== History ==
[[File:wash island house.jpg|thumb|Men's meeting house presided over by island chief, November 1968]]
Permanent early human occupation of Teraina is disputed. Although there were no occupants on the island at the time of European discovery, a number of human made sites have been identified on the island including dry stacked stone architecture. Additionally, [[Ethnography|ethnographic]] data from the [[Cook Islands]] and the [[Tuamotus|Tuamotu Islands]] points to Polynesian knowledge of the island. Perhaps the most compelling discovery on Teraina is the recovery of an intact voyaging canoe.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Emory |first=K.P. |date=1934 |title=Archaeology of the Equatorial Pacific Islands |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015023270963&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021 |journal=Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin |volume=123 |pages=8–9 |via=Babel}}</ref> Although archaeological sites are known to exist on the island, the general lack of fresh water makes long-term human habitation unlikely though more work is needed in establishing the timeline of human use.

Teraina was sighted on 12 June 1798 by the [[United States|American]] [[whaling]] captain [[Edmund Fanning]] of ''Betsy''; he named the island for [[George Washington]] but did not attempt to land. The first exploration of the island arrived later with captain [[Adam Johann von Krusenstern]], on a Russian expedition (called then New Marquesas).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cosmovisions.com/Krusenstern.htm|title=Krusenstern.|website=www.cosmovisions.com|accessdate=8 May 2024}}</ref> The island was subsequently claimed under the [[Guano Islands Act]] of 1856 for the United States under the name "Prospect Island".<ref>Bryan (1942)</ref> [[Guano]] was never mined or exported to any notable extent, however; the [[humid]] climate prevents the formation of substantial deposits. It was occupied by Captain John English and people from [[Manihiki]] in about 1860.

Later William Greig who began planting the island with coconut trees.<ref name="PIM35-7">{{cite web| last = | first = | work= V(12) Pacific Islands Monthly |title=Islands for Sale – Romantic History of Fanning and Washington|date =23 July 1935|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-311640764/view?partId=nla.obj-311653680#page/n5/mode/1up| accessdate=27 September 2021}}</ref> Eventually the sons of Greig owned the plantation with Father {{interlanguage link|Emmanuel Rougier|fr}} until he sold his interest to the Fanning Island Limited, and started a coconut plantation on [[Kiritimati|Christmas Island]].<ref name="PIM35-7"/>

Fanning Island was annexed by the British by Commander Nichols of {{HMS|Cormorant|1877|6}} on May 29, 1889. It became a part of the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]] colony in 1916. The name of the island was changed to Teraina in 1979 when Kiribati gained independence.<ref name="T2012"/> The major export of Teraina is [[copra]], the dried meat of the [[coconut]].

The Burns Philip Copra Company operated plantations on the island after the [[Second World War]].<ref name="T2012"/> At various times, contract laborers were brought from Manihiki, [[Tahiti]], and the [[Gilbert Islands]] to work the coconut plantations.<ref name = resture2004 /> More recently, settlement from Gilbert group has been encouraged during the re-settlement schemes of 1989–1995.<ref name="T2012"/>

Washington Island Post Office opened on 1 February 1921, closed around 1923, reopened in 1924, closed in 1948 and reopened again around August 1979.<ref name = "Post Office">{{Cite web  | last = Premier Postal History  | title = Post Office List  | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=ge&country= | access-date = 5 July 2013}}</ref>