Avery Island, salt dome, 163 ft (50 m) high and 2 mi (3.2 km) in diameter, S La., in an area of sea marshes and swamps. A corporation controlled by the Avery and McIlhenny families owns the island. Hot peppers grown there are used to make Tabasco sauce. Salt has been extracted since prehistoric times; rock salt has been mined there since 1862. Edward Avery McIlhenny, author of Bird City, created Jungle Gardens, which contains many rare plants, trees, and flowers. The island also has a bird sanctuary.
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