Madeline Island is an island located in Lake Superior. Part of Ashland County, Wisconsin, the island has a permanent population of 246. Although the largest of the Apostle Islands, it is not included in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It is the only island in the Apostle Island chain open to commercial development and private ownership. The community of La Pointe, located on the western edge of the island, was one of the earliest European settlements in the area and was established as a fur trading post.