In the 19th century, an Old Believer skete was located on the island, which remains a pilgrimage site for members of the Old Believer community today. According to legend, the foundation of the skete is linked to a certain Vera, who, according to tradition, was a princess known for her ascetic life. Her grave was revered by Old Believers as one of the region's sanctities. Later, a male monastery with a small church, refectory, and cells for monks emerged here. From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, the most famous Old Believer monasteries in the Urals were the male skete on Lake Turgoyak and the female Nikolsky near Miass. It is believed that they were founded by Old Believers as early as the 18th century as runaway Popov monasteries. Up to 20 monks lived in the skete on Pinaev Island in Lake Turgoyak.

In the years 1830-1850, during the reign of Nicholas I, the state's policy towards Old Believers became stricter, and many of their churches, prayer houses, and monasteries were closed or destroyed. The settlement on Vera Island, due to its inaccessibility, lasted longer than others and was only discovered in 1859. Local authorities attempted to liquidate it several times, but the skete was revived. It finally ceased to exist in the late 19th century when the stone church was burned and partially destroyed, and the cells were demolished. By the early 1900s, only one of the former inhabitants, Elder Panteleimon, remained on the island.

The first descriptions of Vera Island appeared in the early 20th century when Turgoyak became a popular vacation spot for the intelligentsia. Three works from that time are known, including the memoirs of K.N. Teploukhov and an essay by Professor V.N. Sementovsky, which mention the ruins of the skete and the 'caves' where the Old Believers lived.

In 1909, architect N. Fil'yansky made the first detailed description of the island and its structures, linking them to the life of the Old Believer community in the second half of the 19th century. According to his data, about 20 people lived on the island in the mid-19th century, following monastic rules. A stone church was built on the island, which was already in ruins by the early 20th century. Fil'yansky also described 8 ruined cells and a small area surrounded by stones that served as a cemetery for the settlers and a place for the Old Believers' prayers. Of particular interest is megalith No. 1, which Fil'yansky interprets as a refectory for hermits.

The history of Old Believers in Southern Ural is insufficiently studied. Previously, there were only a few pre-revolutionary publications about the schism in this territory. Recently, three monographs dedicated to this topic have appeared. However, they mainly focus on the spread of various agreements in Southern Ural and their relations with the authorities and the church, while information about the sketes is absent. This is explained by the fact that many sketes were secret, and their life was not widely known. In this regard, archaeological research becomes particularly relevant.

The skete on Vera Island is interesting for several reasons: its founder is considered the revered hermit Vera, and there are mentions of spring prayers attended by Old Believers from different places. Icons were preserved on trees until the 1950s. Some ruins of the skete's structures can be reconstructed after scientific studies. Architect N. Fil'yansky made sketches of the partially destroyed buildings in the early 20th century. The skete on Vera Island differs from other Ural sketes, where wooden huts were usually used. Natural stone was used for construction on Vera Island, which is related to the presence of megalithic structures resembling caves. This gave the Old Believers' buildings a 'cave' appearance.

Archaeological work is being conducted on Vera Island aimed at creating a historical and cultural museum-reserve, which contributes to the study and preservation of Old Believer heritage. The museification of the skete's objects is planned. Currently, 14 structures have been identified: the ruins of a chapel, prayer house, ten semi-dugouts, and a cemetery.