·       Located in Ottawa County, Put-in-Bay Township was formed in 1861. It encompasses nine islands, including all of South Bass Island.  A petition for incorporation for a separate Village of Put-In-Bay was accepted in 1876 and recorded in 1877 by Ottawa County.

·       South Bass Island is 1,382 acres, and is 3½ long by 1½ miles wide (5.6km by 2.4km).

·       Elevation: 570.5 feet (173.8 meters) above sea level.

·       Climate: average temperature: 50.6° Fahrenheit.  Average rainfall: 29.05 inches. Average frost-free days: 205, giving favorable conditions for growing grapes and fruit.

·       The first settlers arrived in 1811.  They left when the War of 1812 moved into the area.  The     first permanent residents moved to South Bass Island in 1843.  Early residents included John Brown, Jr., son of abolitionist John Brown, of Harper's Ferry fame.  He is buried in the old cemetery.

·       The first island school was erected in 1855. Each Bass Island has had it's own school at one time, with South Bass even having two. North Bass still operates it's own elementary school, possibly the only one-room school left in Ohio. The present school building in Put-in-Bay dates to 1921.  The elementary and junior high serves youth from South Bass and Middle Bass Islands; the high school serves students from all three Bass Islands.  High school students also have the option to attend school on the mainland.  Enrollment is about 90 today (1996) from Kindergarten through Grade 12. 

·       The first church on the island, St. Paul's Episcopal, was built in 1865. Jay Cooke paid it for on land donated by Jose DeRivera St. Jurgo.  Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church was established in 1866, and the current building was erected in 1927.

·       The Hotel Victory opened on July 4, 1892 and burned to the ground on August 14, 1919.  Located at present day South Bass Island State Park, it was one of the largest hotels in the world with 625 rooms.  It had the first co-ed swimming pool, the remains of which are still visible.  Due to financial problems, it was closed more than it was open. Ironically, it was said to be having a successful year when it burned to the ground in 1919.

·       The First Annual Inter-Lake Yachting Association Regatta was held in 1885.  This annual event is held the first week of August, and is the largest freshwater regatta.

·       Due to the limestone-based soil and the warm fall weather, the Lake Erie Islands have been a well-suited place for grape growing.  South Bass Island alone held over 12 wineries before Prohibition. Over half the island once contained vineyards; now less than 25 acres do. Grape varieties grown here include Catawba, Concord, Niagara, Ives and Delaware.

·       Electricity is carried to the islands via underwater cable from Port Clinton.  The first cable was laid from Catawba to South Bass in May 1929.  Telephone service is via underwater cable and microwave.  There no natural gas service, except for propane stored in tanks.