St. George Island is an unincorporated community census-designated place in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The post office at Piney Point, Maryland serves the island, which is connected to it by a short bridge. During the War of 1812 the British made the island their headquarters, and raided shipyards and river plantations from this base. Many tall pines on the island were cut and shipped to England for ship masts (source: "Old Maryland Landmarks" by Robert F. T. Pogue, 1972). In the 19th century the Roman Catholic Church, which owned the island, finally opened it to settlement, including some settlers who migrated from Smith Island.