Before Mobile was founded, or New Orleans even a place on a map, Dauphin Island was the center of french colonization in the Southern United States. Explored and mapped by the Spanish as early as 1519, it was 1699 when the French established their permanent colony. Originally named Massacre Island, due to the mountain of human skeletons found here.

The colony prospered and in 1704, even received a ship load of young women (the Pelican Girls) to be wives of the early explorers.

The name Massacre was changed in 1707
to Isle Dauphine in honor of the heir to Louis the IVX, the Sun King of France. At the time, Pelican island/Sand Island connected to Dauphin Island and formed what was described as the best deepwater port in the Gulf. It was large enough for thirty vessels and had twenty feet of water at its entrance. The port (Pelican Harbor) was always in use with ocean going ships unloading their goods to be transported up Alabama's river system by smaller, shallower running craft.

In 1711, the colony was almost destroyed by a pirate attack, but recovered and continued to flourish. The bright future of Isle Dauphine was changed in a single night though, by the tremendous Hurricane of 1717. So intense was it's fury, that it completely altered the shape of the Island and closed the entrance to Pelican Harbor, trapping three ships there. Buildings were destroyed and livestock drowned. Due to the destruction and especially the loss of the great harbor, the center of French activities were forced to move to other locations such as Mobile, Biloxi, and eventually, New Orleans.