The island was discovered and landed upon on 25 December 1902 by captain William Colbeck, commander of the SY "Morning", the relief ship for Robert Scott's expedition. Colbeck originally planned to name the island Markham Island, after Sir Clements Markham, but later decided to name it after Scott. Haggits Pillar is named after Colbeck's mother's family name, Haggit. In 2006, a mapping expedition to the Ross Sea found the islands north of their previously determined position.