In 1841 explorer Charles Wilkes named the small stretch of gravel connecting Port Hadlock with Indian Island Craven Peninsula after a member of his crew, Lt Charles Craven.
The peninsula was submerged at high tides. Natives and later settlers portaged over the peninsula at high tides.
As early as the mid 1800's, there was interest in dredging the peninsula to make the channel a channel for shipping.
Finally in 1915, the peninsula was dredged and a canal was created. Local residents were promised a bridge that didn't come until 1952. Prior, residents and later the Navy on Indian Island used a variety of boats and later ferries to cross the channel.
Read more about the story of Craven Peninsula, the dredging, ferries and the bridge on this link:
