Tourists and Madeline Island visitors know Grant's Point for its fine estate homes and small public beach. Some of the Island's most prized homes occupy the Point, which is located at the southern end of Madeline Island, next to the town of LaPointe, the Madeline Island Marina and Indian Cemetery. But it should also be noted that Grant's Point holds an important place in the history and growth of white settlements in North America.
The Ojibway named the Island "Moningwunakauing", meaning "home of the Golden-breasted woodpecker". Pierre Le Sueur established the first French fort on the Island in 1693, about sixty years after explorer Jean Nicolet first arrived in Wisconsin. A succession of newer forts ensued and control of the Island eventually changed to the British and later to the United States.
There is archaeological evidence to suggest that the Island was inhabited more or less continuously by Ojibway and Sioux tribes for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of the first white settlers. The Grant's Point area is dotted with Native American burial mounds and the Wisconsin Historical Society has designated zones where new construction or development is prohibited.
Today, Grant's Point is the site of many prized summer homes. The Winston estate (called "Vanishing Point") is adjacent to the Fort Road beach, at the corner of Capser Road and Old Fort Road. Nearby is a bronze plaque marking the likely site of Michel Cadotte's first cabin on Madeline Island. And at the intersection of Fort Road and South Shore Drive, lies Equaysayway Lane, which approaches the point via a winding road past historic summer cottages.
For obvious reasons, it's rare to find homes or land available for sale in the Grant's Point area. Usually when such properties hit the market, they are snapped up rather quickly. In recent years, long-time Island families have been making an effort to acquire these properties as soon as they are listed. Most estates are passed from generation to generation, or sold to a close family friend.
Stay tuned to this blog for future information on Grant's Point and Mission Row area listings, including a new listing which will be coming onto the market shortly!
Copyright © 2007 by Eric Kodner, All Rights Reserved
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