Grape Island was originally two separate Islands: Grape and Bat. Grape was named for the abundant wild grapes that grew on the island; Bat was named for the colony of bats that populated the island. Siltation and sedimentation over the years fused the two islands into one. For a while, as this process was taking place and when the water was low, there was a small narrow bay; this was in a time when it was permissible to seine for fish in the river, and a cast of the seine seldom failed to capture immense quantities of fish of all kinds, and so it earned the name of Wizard Bay.
The earliest known owner, Thomas Cochran, sold it to James Bailey for $90 in 1811. In 1894, it was famous for its luscious peaches, apricots and nectarines. A later owner, Hiram Carpenter, planted it in potatoes (he at one time owned 13 islands in the river). In the 1920’s, it was used to grow hay and corn. Other farmers bought the island for a variety of uses over the years. By the 1950’s, the island had a pig population. The Nature Conservancy acquired the island in 1989 and turned it over the USFWS in December 1990, making it one of the first refuge islands.
Island Access: St. Marys public access ramp at St. Marys off SR 2
