Belle Isle Conservatory

Known as Wah-na-be-zee (Swan Island or White Swan) to its original owners, the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes, Belle Isle first interested European settlers when Antoine De la Mothe Cadillac granted the island as a commons to the inhabitants of the village of Detroit. These first inhabitants used the island as grazing land for livestock, principally hogs, and it was for this reason renamed Ile au Cochons (Hog Island). France surrendered Detroit to Great Britain in 1760, and in 1762, a part of the island was claimed by Lt. George McDougall, an officer attached to the Detroit garrison.

McDougall built a house on the island, cleared a parcel of land, and shared the island with a family named Fisher. The entire Fisher family was murdered by Indians in the reign of terror following the unsuccessful attack upon the Fort of Detroit by Chief Pontiac in 1763. McDougall escaped the massacre and later the same year he married Marie Navarre, the daughter of a prominent French inhabitant and royal notary. Encouraged by his new family connections, he applied to the King of England for a grant of the entire island.

He met the council of Chippewa and Ottawa chiefs and in return for 5 barrels of rum, 3 rolls of tobacco, 3 pounds of vermilion paint, and 1 belt of wampum received a conveyance from them. The deed was signed in 1769 by the chiefs in the presence of Captain George Turnbull, commander of the fort, and a body of officers. On obtaining final possession of the island, McDougall paid the chiefs an additional 3 barrels of rum and 3 pounds of vermilion paint. The McDougall family retained possession of the island until 1793 when it was purchased by William Macomb.

The island was next acquired by Barnabus Campau who bought it from one of Macomb's sons in 1817.

HORTICULTURAL BUILDING (CONSERVATORY)- Two of the mos attractive buildings upon the island, ranking with the best structures of their kind in the country, are the aquarium and horticulture buildings which were opened August 18, 1904. The idea of the aquarium has been accredited to State Representative David E. Heineman, who had visited Italy and studied the aquarium at Naples. He received passage of the enabling act, approved May 26, 1899, authorizing the issuance of bonds to the amount of $150,000 on condition that the issue be approved by the vote of the people. The bonds were issued and, on March 1, 1900, the money was placed in the city treasury for the construction of the building. ~letQP & Kahn (afterward Mason & Kahn) drew the plans for the buildings, the two structures cost was approximately $165,000 including equipment. The Belle Island aquarium ranks among the six largest in the world. It has a highly articulated brickwork facade and a copper roof. The interior walls are green ceramic tile and the ceilings are vaulted. The equipment is modern in every respect, including the indefinite use of sea water, which by filtering and resting is utilized over and over for many years. Proper temperatures for different water tanks and special aerification provide appropriate habitats for any fish. The conservatory (Horticultural building) is a graceful architectural expression of steel and glass (at one time the frame was wood) which is unique on Belle Isle. The facility includes a fernery, an orchid room, palm house, cactus exhibit, tropical plants section, and a special exhibits room. The building and surrounding 3 acres of formal gardens, a lily pond, and 20 greenhouses constitute an elaborate and popular attraction to visitors. The 750,000 plants produced anually are used not only in the building but also in municipal buildings and outdoor floral displays in Detroit's Civic Center. After the reconstruction work of 1955 (steel frame) , the structure was renamed the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory due to this lady's generous contributions to the facility and the general cultural development of Detroit.