How was Catawba Island named??

               Catawba Island …Everyone comes in to the Ida Rupp Public Library with the same information …Catawba Island was named for the Catawba Indian tribe. 

               Catawba Island was actually named after the Catawba grape.   Yes, a grape, a red grape with a crisp flesh, very sweet and juicy, that produces a pinkish wine.  This particular variety dates back to the early 1800’s when they were found growing along the Catawba River in North Carolina.  It was this river that was named for the Native American tribe that settled along its banks.  They were known as Kawahcatawbas, people of the river, I think this is where the tradition begins about our local island. Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, introduced the first Catawba vines here from North Carolina.  Mr. Longworth had tried this grape growing venture in Cincinnati.  Catawba Island has a wonderful agricultural history with grapes and peaches in abundance.  The limestone bedrock and underground caves and caverns provide the area with a wonderful natural drainage system and the surrounding lake shore gives a natural temperate climate.  Lake Erie being so shallow keeps wide spread frost from being an issue or major concern for present day growers

               Early in its history, Catawba had three commercial wineries.  In 1863, Benedict Furrer emigrated from Switzerland and planted a vineyard near Catawba Point and built his home on the southeast corner of Porter Road and Northwest Catawba Road; his winery lasted until 1905.  Gidion Owen came from New York State in 1865; his vineyard was also near Catawba Point.  He later converted his winery into a successful peach brandy distillery.  The third winery was located on Wine Cellar Road.  The Catawba Island Wine Co. was truly a cooperative effort between Catawba and Danbury grape growers but they were out of business by the 1870’s.  The Mon Ami Winery was built in 1871, and has had many owners.

               By 1871 there were 345 acres of vineyards on Catawba Island and by 1874 six of those acres were producing Catawba grapes. The Catawba grape has been used by many different wineries in Ottawa & Erie Counties and by other vintners in other locales. Some of the local wineries are Mon Ami, Lonz, and Heineman. The Heineman Winery is located on Put-in-Bay and was founded in 1888. Except for the duration of Prohibition, Heineman has been producing wines from locally grown grapes. The Mon Ami winery was originally founded as the Catawba Island Wine company and was changed to Mon Ami in 1872. It is the largest winery on the Catawba Island Peninsula with an annual capacity of 130,000 gallons.

Sources:

http://www.monamiwinery.com/

http://heinemanswinery.com/history.cfm

Lake Erie Islands, Grapes Have Long Been Associated. Port Clinton News Herald, 9/17/1970.

Changing Times Down Island Veteran; Old Distillery at Catawba Served in Many Capacities. Toledo Blade, 9/24/1958.