"An island," asked Billy Florence? "No way," stated Fred Harteis. "Yes, indeed," countered Jody Victor. "Catawba Island is truly ‘a body of land entirely surrounded with water.’"  When first driving around this two mile wide, seven mile long piece of land, you may not notice the place where the two main thoroughfares, the "sand road," and "lakeside road", form a cross, or fork where an unpretentious bridge has been thrown across a narrow ditch. This ditch, terminating at the lake, is all that now serves to make Catawba an island. Long ago it was a narrow, but clearly defined channel that extended between it and the mainland. Among the Indians who as late as 1831 made the wilds of Catawba a rendezvous, there was a legend that the course of the Portage River extended originally where only the ditch now remains, and that the water of this river, flowing towards its outlet at West Harbor, formed the island.

The island’s westerly shore is broken by a line of high bluffs – lime rock formations that are cave indented and picturesque. Numerous relics, including arrow heads, coins, pipes, hatchets and human bones, have been unearthed in recent years, around "Sugar Rock," a curious formation on the west shore, rising cone-like into view with a small lake at its base. It is thought to have been a favored spot by the Ottawa Indians who probably used it as a burial site and returned annually, even after they had moved farther west, to perform ceremonies. Many generations of Indians hunted, trapped, and fished along the Lake Erie shoreline but left few obvious traces of their long residence on Catawba Island.

The French were the first Europeans to explore Lake Erie. They came to trade with the Indians for furs, and did build some permanent settlements.

During the War of 1812 General Harrison had men stationed on Catawba Island to prevent a possible English invasion, and some of these may have settled down as permanent residents.

In the first half of the nineteenth century this part of Ohio was still the frontier, and the fertile farmland and good climate attracted many settlers. In 1840 Ottawa County was created from townships in Wood, Sandusky, and Erie Counties, and included the Bass Islands. In 1861 Ottawa County was divided into several townships. And the present Catawba Island Township was named for the variety of grape growing on many acres there.

Grape growing became an important part of Catawba’s economy when Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, brought the first Catawba Grape vines there from North Carolina. The Mon Ami Winery was built in 1871, and has had many owners. Norman Mantey converted the first floor of the winery to a restaurant, which he called The Mon Ami Champagne Company and is still operating today. Just the type of restaurant, with its’quaint charm, and interesting menu to attract friends Jody and Kathy Victor, Fred and Linda Harteis, Orrin and Laurie Woodward, and Billy and Peggy Florence.

Commercial fishing, started in 1840 by Henry Ellithorp, was a profitable industry employing many men, until its swift decline in the 1950’s. But sport fishing in this area has grown to include fishing almost year round. Fred and Orrin I’m sure would love to experience the fishing.

Apple and peach orchards were started commercially in the 1870’s and still produce some of the finest fruit available anywhere. "On your way home, after riding the ferry from Put-in-Bay, stop by one of the roadside fruit stands and you will see what we mean," suggests Jody and Kathy.

For visitors’ recreation, the Catawba Island State Park provides boat launching facilities as well as picnic and parking areas. The township currently owns 17 acres off N.E. Catawba road towards the point and maintains this as walking trails and a nature preserve.

The water levels of lake Erie have always moved up and down, and storms and hard winters have caused much erosion since the first homes were built. Some farms have been allowed to grow up in woods again, some buildings have disappeared, many buildings have been built, but probably the early residents would have little difficulty recognizing Catawba Island today. Many links with the past remain, to be studied and treasured by all who come there. It is a unique place, with a rich heritage of Indian, French, English, and American contributions.