HISTORY OF WASHINGTON ISLAND

In 1815, the island was named "Colonel John Miller Island" after the leader of the first white men to set foot on the island. Later settlers changed the name to honor George Washington.

Many of those later settlers were from Iceland, and today Washington Island is the oldest Icelandic community in the United States.

The island lies northeast of the peninsula just beyond the straits of Death's Door. This name was given to the six-mile-wide passage between Lake Michigan and Green Bay by Native Americans. The name was translated by French explorers as "Porte des Morts" because the treacherous currents and unpredictable wave action claimed war canoes and schooners alike. Today, divers can explore many of the shipwrecks.

For More Information

To get more information on the history of Washington Island, visit www.washingtonisland.com.  .