Inselruhe House

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.

INSELRUE HOUSE (GARDEN CENTER)- This building is thought to be the oldest structure on the island. The white Victorian wood- framed farm house has narrow, horizontal wood siding, moderate "gingerbread" exterior, bay windows and gable roofs that were typical of the era. There is some question about the exact age of the building but most sources set the construction date at about 1860. It was originally built as a summer residence for the Campau family and its name, "Inselrue", means Island Rest. Over the years it has been used for many purposes: saloon, residence for the park commissioners, restaurant, nature museum, the Detroit Garden Center, and now, the headquarters for the Michigan Horticultural Society. The building has not only stood the test of time but it has also withstood the various abuses that it was exposed to. That this structure still stands today is testimony to its quality of design and construction.