The indigenous Lucayan people called the island Jumento, meaning "upper land of the middle distance".

[2] The islands were settled by American Loyalists in the late 1780s who set cotton plantations using over 1,000 slaves.

After the abolition of slavery in the British Empire these became uneconomical, and the replacement income from sponge diving has now dwindled as well.

It is believed that the first Post Office in the Bahamas was at Pitts Town on Crooked Island.

The island is part of the MICAL constituency for elections to the House of Assembly of the Bahamas.