With apostrophe or without? That used to be a question for Gwynn's Island.

As recently as 30 years ago, signs, maps and nautical charts referred to the island in Mathews County as Gwynn Island. But residents of the island called it Gwynn's Island.

Requests by residents were made to change the spelling to add the missing characters. With the exception of some nautical maps, the island is now recognized as Gwynn's Island, said longtime resident Judy Rowe.

According to local lore, the island draws its name from Hugh Gwynn, who was exploring the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1600s and stopped at the small body of land at the mouth of the Piankatank River.

He heard the cries of an Indian girl who had fallen out of her canoe and leaped into the water to rescue her. It turned out the girl was Pocahontas, who gave the island to Gwynn as thanks for pulling her to safety.

In 1634, Gwynn was given a patent by the king of England for 1,700 acres on the island.

Gwynn's Island is 84 square miles with more than 800 residents -- it swells to more than 1,000 during summer months, Rowe said.

The island played a small role in the Revolutionary War when Lord Dunmore, the last Colonial Governor of Virginia, was driven from Norfolk and landed on Gwynn's Island.

Dunmore evacuated the island when he was attacked by forces led by Gen. Andrew Lewis in what became known as the Battle of Cricket Hill.

Before 1939, the only way to reach Gwynn's Island was by ferry. Today, a swing-span bridge connects the island to the mainland of Mathews County. Once you cross the bridge onto Gwynn's Island, "take your watch off because time doesn't matter," said Laura Smith, a Richmond resident who has a vacation home on the island.

The island is primarily residential with a few small businesses and a marina. People also maintain weekend and summer homes on the island, which has beaches and spectacular views of sunrises and sunsets, said Steve Whiteway, Mathews County administrator.

While Gwynn's Island doesn't offer the hustle and bustle of tourist spots such as Virginia Beach and Nags Head, N.C., it's still a "magical place and like a little bit of paradise," Smith said.

There are places to go camping and people spend time sailing, kayaking and fishing on the bay.

History of the island and Mathews County is on display at the Gwynn's Island Museum, a two-story building that once housed the island's first school. The museum was founded in 1991 and includes exhibits on antique weapons, 19thand early-20th-century clothing, and the history of watermen of the Chesapeake.

Those who live on the island don't want the secret to get out, Rowe said of her homeplace.

"People who find it don't want others to find it," she said.

But slowly the word is getting out about the benefits of spending time on the island, said Jean Tanner, curator of Gwynn's Island Museum.

"People are coming in," Tanner said. "It's not much of a secret anymore."

See a sampling of what the island has to offer at the 60th annual Gwynn's Island Festival scheduled June 28, beginning at 9 a.m. There will be live music, food, local crafts and lawnmower races.
Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6115 or jslayton@timesdispatch.com.