 The historic unincorporated community of La Pointe, was established by French fur traders as a trading post in 1693.Later, in the 19th century, the American Fur Company established a post on the island.Because it was an ancient Native American settlement, and had served for so long as a fur trading site, as well as being the center of early missionary efforts in the area, Madeline Island was deemed an ideal location for a museum relating to important aspects of Wisconsin's history.