Munising, called "Kitchi-Minissing" in the Ojibwa language, means "place of the island." Grand Island, the largest island on Lake Superior's south shore, was once two islands until sand filled in and forest grew on the sandy tombolo. It was home to Anishnabeg Indians for many generations, and an early fishing camp dating from 4,500 years ago has been recorded. Abraham Williams, the first white settler, arrived in 1840 and operated a trading post at the island's south tip for many years. The island is home to the North Light, established in 1854, and the East Channel Light in 1867. In the early 1900's, William G. Mather, president of the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company, bought Grand Island as a private retreat, and a few buildings from that era remain. He introduced a variety of wildlife to his fenced game preserve, and an extensive maple sugar operation continued into the early 1900's. Since 1991, the U.S. Forest Service has managed the island as a National Recreation Area.