|
Sanibel and Captiva
- the best known and most often visited barrier islands on
the southwest Florida coast - have not always been a part of
the Florida landscape. Six thousand years ago, sediments
emptied into the Gulf of Mexico by the Caloosahatchee River
formed the two islands, which were once joined as one.
Perhaps as recently as a thousand years ago a powerful
sub-tropical storm swept the peninsula, opening a narrow
pass between the islands. Blind Pass has disappeared and
re-opened many times since with the passing of the
centuries.
People have lived
on Sanibel and Captiva ever since the islands first formed.
Drawn by the pristine environment and the remarkable supply
of fish and shellfish produced by nearby estuaries, Archaic
peoples and their Calusa Indian descendants inhabited more
than fifteen major archaeological sites on the islands. The
Calusa - a complex and powerful tribe who controlled all of
south Florida - first encountered European explorers shortly
after Columbus' arrival in the New World. In 1513, Juan
Ponce de Leon made landfall nearby during his voyage of
discovery. The discoverer of La Florida returned in 1521 to
establish a settlement - perhaps on Sanibel, historians say
- where he was attacked and killed by the warlike Calusa.
By the early
1800's, Cuban fishing camps were well established in the
rich, productive waters behind Captiva and Sanibel. Trout,
mullet, drum and pompano were netted, salted and dried at
fishing "ranchos" throughout Pine Island Sound and San
Carlos Bay, then shipped by schooner to Havana and Key West.
Euro-Americans who inhabited the islands before mid-century
grew citrus and vegetables to supplement their diets of
fresh local sea foods. Shellfish were plentiful, just as in
days past. Wild turkey, hogs, and sea turtles rounded out
the early settlers' menus. Deer were so abundant that a
haunch of dried venison could be bought for a quarter.
|
 |
Indian raids during
Florida's Seminole Indian Wars made the remote tropical
paradise of San Ybel unsafe for island inhabitants. Only
during and after America's Civil War would increased
military activity around San Carlos Bay make the area once
again safe for settlers. On August 20, 1884, the Sanibel
lighthouse was first activated. Its kerosene lantern, later
converted to gas, would serve as a landmark for ships
passing the Sanibel and Captiva coastlines for almost a
hundred years.
In 1892, with a
permanent population nearing 100, Sanibel built its first
schoolhouse. By the twentieth century, both Sanibel and
Captiva supported flourishing farm communities. Avocado,
melons, citrus, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant provided
lucrative cash crops for farmers. Wood-burning steamers
brought supplies, mail, freight and passengers to the
islands. During historical times, six major hurricanes have
struck the islands, the most notable in 1910 and 1926. Tides
from the 1926 storm reached 14 feet. Angry floodwaters from
the 1910 hurricane - the worst ever recorded in southwest
Florida history - completely covered low-lying parts of both
islands.
Among Sanibel and
Captiva residents, the conservation ethic has always been
strong. All of Sanibel and parts of Captiva were declared a
national wildlife refuge in 1945. Six thousand acres of
sensitive upland and estuarine habitat on Sanibel are now
held in the public trust by the J.N. "Ding" Darling National
Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to a half-century of effort by
dedicated island residents, more than 750,000 people now
tour this world-acclaimed wildlife refuge and its
interpretive facility each year.
*Historical information thanks to "Dining and Doing Guide" |
