History

History of Grand Isle

The barrier island we now call Grand Isle was formed over thousands of years by sediments carried downriver by the mighty Mississippi. At its center lies one of the last remaining live oak chenier forests on the Gulf Coast—a natural ridge that has sheltered over two centuries of human life on the island.

The first known inhabitants were the Chitimacha, who hunted, fished, and lived off the island’s rich natural resources. In the 1780s, the Spanish government divided the island into four land grants awarded to Jacques Rigaud, Francois Aufrey, Joseph Caillet, and Charles Dufresne. These early settlers established cash crop plantations and harvested shrimp and oysters. Some even traded with Jean Lafitte and his privateers, who smuggled goods between the coast and New Orleans.

Over time, Grand Isle became a melting pot of cultures—French, Spanish, Italian, Croatian, African, and Asian settlers all contributed to the island’s unique heritage.

By the 19th century, wealthy New Orleanians traveled by steamer to Grand Isle to enjoy its beaches, fishing, and seaside charm. The island attracted writers like Kate Chopin, George Washington Cable, and Lafcadio Hearn, along with artists William and Ellsworth Woodward. The Harvey Hotel opened in 1866, and by century’s end, large resort hotels dotted the island.

But the golden era was cut short in 1893 when the devastating Chenier Caminada hurricane struck, killing more than 2,000 people and wiping out much of neighboring Cheniere Caminada and parts of Grand Isle. The massive resorts on the east and west ends of the island were destroyed. Remarkably, homes nestled in the protective chenier ridge sustained far less damage.

Grand Isle rebuilt. In 1931, a highway finally connected the island to the mainland, bringing cars, electricity, radios, and telephones. That same year, the Oleander Hotel opened, and two years later, the first Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo was held—sparking a new era of recreational fishing tourism. In the 1940s and 1950s, interest in offshore oil exploration added another chapter to the island’s evolving story.