La Grande Isle

Grand Island in the Platte River gave its name to the city of Grand Island. Formed by a narrow channel that branched off the Platte River about 28 miles upstream from the present city and rejoined the main river about 12 miles downstream from the city, it took its English name from the French La Grande Isle, meaning the large or great island. The island was probably discovered and named by French fur traders in the late 1700's, and by 1810 Grand Island or Grand Isle was a well-known landmark for fur traders. The name Grand Isle appeared on a French map published in 1821 and on American maps published in 1822 and 1823. The Long and Fremont exploring expeditions of 1820 and 1842 noted the island's size, and west-bound travelers of the 1830's often mentioned it as the most conspicuous feature of the Central Platte Valley. Grand Island was ceded to the United States Government by the Pawnee Indians in 1848, and its modern history began with the arrival of the first permanent settlers on July 5, 1857.

Grand Island, Nebraska · United States