Archeological digs on the island resulted in the discovery of
Paleo-Indian projectile points that date back to around 13,000 years ago. These materials would have been deposited by people living during the
Pleistocene when, because of lower sea-levels, the area was well inland and not an island. Pottery fragments dating back 4000 years ago were also observed on the north shore of the island, but these may have been deposited there while the island was forming. In 1633,
Franciscan Friars named the island while visiting
Apalachee tribes in the area. In 1750,
Creek Indians and
Seminoles, offshoots of the Creek nation, entered area and inhabited the island. During the
War of 1812, the British used it to unload military supplies, preparatory to invading the United States via the
Flint River (see
Nicolls' Outpost). In 1868, George Hatch bought the island. In 1908, Dr.
Ray V. Pierce imported Old World game animals to the island. In 1920 the island was used to graze beef cattle sold to
Apalachicola markets. In 1940, the first oyster lease was granted. The Pierce Estate sold first pine saw timber. St. Joe Lumber Company built a temporary bridge to the island for timber removal. In 1948, the Loomis brothers, Alfred, Jr. and Henry, bought the island and imported
zebras,
elands,
black buck,
ring-necked pheasants,
Asian jungle fowl,
bobwhite quail, and semi-wild
turkeys. In 1968, St. Vincent was purchased by the
Nature Conservancy for $2.2 million.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service repaid the Conservancy with money from Duck Stamp sales and established the island as
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge. == Geography ==