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 St. Catherines Island has basically the same topographical attributes, flora and fauna that Georgia's other barrier islands possess, except for its most prominent and distinguishing feature; a high, beautiful promontory on the eastern side of the island overlooking the beach and ocean. It was here that one of the largest Creek Indian Village headquarters was located with a number of smaller settlements scattered throughout the island below. After founding St. Augustine, Florida, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles traveled northward up the coast where he landed on St. Catherines Island. There, he and his crew were warmly welcomed by the friendly Creek Indians who inhabited it. In 1566, Santa Catalina, the first island mission was established and it became the most important mission of the region. Although initial relations were amicable, the island natives soon grew hostile towards the missionaries, ravaging their churches and killing the monks, eventually forcing those monks who survived to evacuate. As time passed, St. Catherines Island was settled by colonists and eventually sold to Button Gwinnett, a statesman and staunch supporter of the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, and one of Georgia's three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Today, the Button-Gwinnett House in which he lived remains intact, and the island is privately owned and administered by the St. Catherines Island Foundation, Inc. The island is closed to the public due to the critical nature of the rare and endangered wildlife breeding and zoological research programs which are conducted on the island by the American Museum of Natural History through the Edward John Noble Foundation. 
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