Pelee Island has an extensive history with archeological evidence that indicates that human inhabitants arrived as early as 7500 B.C.  Burial mounds discovered and dated through to 400 A.D. exhibit a long presence of Native Canadians on the island and in this area of Ontario Southwest, they were primarily of the Chippewa Nation.  On May 1, 1788, the Chiefs of the Chippewa’s entered into a land agreement for a term of 999 years and a nominal sum, with Thomas McKee.  Although McKee never resided on Point Au Pelee Island (as it was referred to in those years), his son became the owner of the land, and then in 1823, he sold the island to William McCormick for a sum of $500.00.  McCormick moved his family to the island in 1834.

In 1866, D.J Williams, Thomas, and Thaddeus Smith bought 40 acres of land from William McCormick of which 25 acres they planted grapes, thus beginning the wine industry on Pelee Island.  For a more detailed history of Pelee’s wine industry, make sure to book the Vin Villa –“Behind the Gates” Tour and wine tasting.

Another secret chapter in Pelee Island’s illustrious past began after a severe storm in 1879. A group of men from Ohio on a fishing trip were camped out on the northwest corner of the island near Vin Villa when they had their campsite destroyed from the storm and sought shelter with Thaddeus Smith at Vin Villa Estate. For the next several years, one of the young men returned annually to visit the Vin Villa Estate and in 1883 he another man named John Maginis from New York decided to organize a fishing club and purchased 10 acres of land next to Vin Villa and built the Pelee Club.  This was designated as a membership club limited to 25 people and over the years some of the distinguished members were men with wealth and of national reputation from the United States.  Such members include General Phil Sheridan, Marshall Fields, Robert T. Lincoln to name a few.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable points in Pelee Island’s history was in 1885 when Dr. John Scudder and Lemuel Brown began the large task of draining the marshland between Big Marsh, Middle Island Marsh, and South Marsh, effectively making Pelee Island one landmass instead of the 3 smaller islands.  This huge project required steam dredges and 12 miles of canals to be dug amongst the wetlands. Once completed in 1889, Pelee Island more than doubled the amount of farmland and could now enter into a stronger agricultural period where tobacco fields replaced the vineyards.  Tobacco quickly proved to be a more profitable export than grapes, and by 1920, the island was yielding about 1 ½ million pounds of tobacco in one season.  The laborers of those days mostly comprised of Mennonite immigrants who settled with families and worked in the thriving tobacco industry for 30 years before prices fell during the Depression and caused operations to cease.

The next agricultural shift for Pelee Island began in 1948 when Ernest Clutton planted fields of soya beans, the first grown in Ontario. These continue to be a leading crop on Pelee Island today along with the return of acres of Pelee Island Vineyards.