J. D. Rockefeller invested in the iron mines, though he quickly sold having lost money on a Monte Cristo, Washington venture near Everett.

The northern tip is located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest of the city of Powell River and west of the Sechelt Peninsula on the Sunshine Coast.

Off its northwestern end it is separated from Ahgykson Island by Algerine Passage and is flanked by the Strait of Georgia on ¾ of its western side.

Garter snakes are common in all areas and fresh water turtles exist in small quantities in some of the island's lakes.

Large birds such as bald eagles, turkey vultures, ravens and various species of hawk are plentiful in the area.

Inland lakes also are home to several species of trout, including a unique variant of stickleback native only to the island.

Various species of seal have breeding colonies on the shores of Texada Island and neighbouring rocks; sea otters are rare, but sometimes can be spotted.

Orcas, which commonly feed on the seals, are the only large marine mammal that are seen extremely close to the island's shore.

Anderson Bay can be accessed on a long dirt track that crosses from the end of the gravel road at Bob's lake to the south point.

The major roads between the settlements also have numerous acreages and larger farms on them; many homes on the island are vacation properties and are only inhabited part of the year.

[9] A small settlement called Anderson Bay formerly existed on the south tip of the island, but the last resident moved in the 2000s and the area has been overgrown.

On top of the main stores and hotel, several farms on the island sell produce to tourists, and there is a yearly summer farmers' market.

As part of a pilot project dubbed the "triangle run", BC Ferries offered a sailing from the island directly to Comox on the Salish Eagle; but was removed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which reduced travel volumes.

The now defunct KD Air formerly operated scheduled flights to Gillies Bay Airport from Vancouver and Qualicum Beach.

An airport with a dirt runway formerly existed at Anderson Bay on the south tip of the island, but has long been overgrown.

Smaller paved roads connect to the quarries, airport, Shelter Point Park and serve residents in the communities.

Once a major mining and logging area, the island's industry had largely shrunk resulting in a population decline.

Only a few quarries and some small scale logging operations remain active in the present providing the island with its main source of employment.

The island once produced 5 million tons of limestone a year; however, recent economic factors have lowered demand.