Editing Oak Island (section)

=== History ===
Oak Island was initially named [https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/04/the-history-of-the-oak-island-money-pit/151722 “Smith’s Island”] in honor of early settler Edward Smith, (Milligan, 2024).  In 1778, it was renamed [https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/04/the-history-of-the-oak-island-money-pit/151722 Gloucester Isle,] and shortly thereafter, it acquired the name Oak Island, attributed to the presence of red oak trees on the island, (Milligan, 2024). The earliest documented human activity dates to the [https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/oak-island#:~:text=The%20earliest%20European%20inhabitants%20of,to%20residents%20of%20nearby%20areas. 1750s,] when French fishermen frequented the area, (Ungarvsky, 2025).  To encourage further colonization, the government of Nova Scotia offered land grants for settlement. Four families from Massachusetts accepted these grants, becoming the first officially recorded settlers on Oak Island.