Early Spanish explorers named the island "Moleta Island" after the color of the rocks. It was charted in 1827 by
Royal Navy captain Frederick Beechey, who called it "Molate Island", a distortion of the Spanish name. The island also appeared, again labeled "Molate Island", on an 1850 survey map of the
San Francisco Bay area made by
Cadwalader Ringgold and an 1854 map of the area by
Henry Lange. The island was also referred to as "Golden Island" because a local legend held that pirates buried their treasure on it. For the same reason it was later called "Treasure Island". In the 21st century, the island was placed on the market multiple times: • in 2001, offer to buy the island was made to the
California Department of Fish and Game; • in June 2007, Glickman, at the time a gem dealer in Thailand, announced that Red Rock Island was for sale for US$10 million; • in late 2023 Brock Durning, who inherited the island from his father, Mack Durning, placed the island on the market for US$25 million, first time this property was offered through a
multiple listing service. • on August 15, 2024, it was reported the island had found a buyer the previous month, but the identity of who purchased it and for how much was likely to remain unknown until some time in 2025. “It will be a lengthy process with close of escrow not happening till next year,” said the property's listing agent, Chris Lim. ==In popular culture==