by Karen MacArthur Grizzard (Author), Ericka L. Grizzard (Author)
Detroit's crowning jewel, Belle Isle, has been a leisure destination for natives and visitors alike for well over a century. Originating as Wahnabezee or "Swan Island" by Native Americans and Isle aux Cochons or "Hog Island" by early French settlers, the name was changed to Belle Isle in 1845 to honor Michigan governor Lewis Cass's daughter Isabelle. After generations of passing between public and private ownership, the island was bought in 1879 by the City of Detroit, which commissioned famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to create the beloved haven that is known today. An island oasis with attractions dating back to its early years, Belle Isle continues to connect the past, present, and future of a vibrant city.