The History Of Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
- The Persaud Catalog
- Oct 30
- 9 min read
In today’s article, we will be discussing the documented history of Sanibel Island, Florida. Sanibel Island is an island on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. The island is most well known for its sandy beaches, shells, & wildlife reserves.
The primary wildlife reserve on the island, is J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The scenery of the island is superb, & adds beautifully to the hiking paths of the island.
The island is extremely close to the mainland, being only 1.75 nautical miles (2.013864 miles or 3.241 kilometers) away at its closest point. The western coast of the island is well known to contain whelks, bivalves, sand dollars, & scallops, which attract many tourists as well as recreational fishermen. Many seashell enthusiasts also enjoy the island for this reason, & can be seen gathering or admiring shells on early mornings.
Additionally, these seashell enthusiasts have an entire museum to look into, as Sanibel Island has a museum dedicated to the study of seashells, conchology, & malacology. This museum is known as the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum. Off the coast of the island, divers & fishermen alike have something else to look forward to. This of course, is the vast marine expanse around the island.
The original inhabitants of the island, the Calusa, would use this marine expanse for a variety of things. The Calusa would use conch, oysters, clams, & whelks as both food, & tools. After eating the meat, they would use the shells as tools, & use shell mounds for ceremonial, ritual, & burial purposes. Additionally, they would build small huts on top of large shell mounds, to add protection from the high tide. This shows that no matter the time, the ocean has transformed the culture of Sanibel Island. Modernly, the island has a population of 6,382 people.
Additionally, the island is approximately 33.21 square miles (86.013505 square kilometers or 21,254.4 acres) in area. Similar to many small islands, the entire island is administratively 1 town. The largest settlement on the island is Sanibel.
The official website of both the city & the island is https://www.mysanibel.com/, & is controlled by the government of Florida.
In this article, we will discuss the documented history of Sanibel Island, the aboriginals of Sanibel Island, the most destructive natural & man-caused disasters to affect Sanibel Island, & the economic state of Sanibel Island. With that being said, let us delve into the island of Sanibel!
The Documented History Of Sanibel Island, Florida
Before Colonization
Historical Events From 500 B.C to 1513
Sanibel, as well as Captiva Island, were formed less than 10,000 years ago by rising sea levels cutting the area off from the mainland. They originally formed as one land mass, & remained so until a hurricane split them apart.
The first group of individuals would not come to the island until approximately 500 B.C. This first group, was the Calusa Aboriginals. Upon arrival, they would build small villages around the waterways of the island. Their primary sources of protein were bivalves, & fish.
After Colonization
Historical Events From The 1500s
The Spanish would not interact with the Calusa until explorer Juan Ponce De Leon found the island. He officially found the island in the year 1513, while on his journey to find the fountain of youth. He named the island Santa Isabella, after Queen Isabella of Spain. Leon & his sailors would battle the vicious Calusa for many years, until eventually, he was struck critically by one of their arrows in 1521. As a result of this, he retreated to Cuba, & then passed away from his injuries. The Spanish were unable to establish a permanent village in the area.
Historical Events From The 1600s
Disease introduced by the Spanish ravaged the Calusa People, & widespread epidemics killed many. This was the beginning of the decline of the Calusa people.
Historical Events From The 1700s
Due to a combination of Tuberculosis, Yellow Fever, & measles, the Calusa indigenous people, as well as their culture, went effectively extinct. The island would not be used for much of anything until the early 1800s.
Historical Events From The 1800s
During the Early 1800s, the island became a magnet for pirates. The infamous Jose Gaspar visited the island, where it is rumoured he buried treasure. On the adjacent Captiva Island, he built a prison for captive female prisoners. This is how the island earned its name.
The Seminole Wars kept American settlers & fishermen hesitant to build any permanent settlements on the island. Even after Florida was admitted as a state to the Union in 1845, settlers still proceeded with caution.
The civil war would further complicate things, & Americans would not attempt to settle the island until the war’s completion. In the year 1870, the U.S government ruled that Sanibel Island would receive a lighthouse.
The famed lighthouse would be built on the eastern shore of the island, & was first lit in 1884. This lighthouse is still functional, & in use. The original settlement on Sanibel was located close-by the lighthouse, as it was the center of much island activity.
According to a census conducted in the year 1889, there were approximately 40 families living on Sanibel Island, distributed throughout 21 houses. In 1892, the population rose to nearly 100, prompting the first schoolhouse to be built in order to educate the children of Sanibel.
Historical Events From The 1900s
In the year 1928, docks were constructed at the eastern end of the island, by the Kinzie Brothers. This made it possible for a ferry service to provide transportation to the mainland for the next 35 years.
Many farmers began noticing the agricultural potential island, & began purchasing small plots of land to build homesteads on. The most common choices for a primary crop were grapefruit & watermelon. One of the most famous plantations from this era, was started by Clarence Chadwick, an American Inventor. This inventor turned the 330 acres of Captiva Island into a key lime plantation. Unfortunately, the hurricanes of 1921 & 1926 rocked the island, the former of which split Captiva Island from Sanibel. The agricultural industry never recovered, & was soon replaced by the tourism industry.
Many influential people visited the island around this time, including the illustrious Henry Ford. The most influential of all of these people, was Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling. Jay Norwood Darling was a political cartoonist, as well as a conservationist. He first ventured to the island on a vacation in 1935. Charmed by the islands, he began wintering on Captiva Island, & continued this for many years. A devoted conservationist, he campaigned for island ecosystems to be federally protected. Eventually, this would come in the form of the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. In 1945, 5,200 acres of mangrove, & estuary were designated as part of the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is now the heart of biodiversity on the island.
The island has slowly risen to stardom amongst tourist destinations in America, largely due to its shells, & beautiful beaches. Sanibel Island is now one of the most popular Vacation destinations, as well as a biodiverse place in the state of Florida.
The Aboriginals Of Sanibel Island
The Calusa Indigenous Aboriginals of Sanibel Island
The Calusa Indigenous Aboriginals are a group of Native Americans, who lived primarily in Southern Florida. They formed as a group between 2,500 & 2,000 years ago. Unfortunately, their population is completely extinct. They spoke the Calusa language, & is also extinct. There are very few records of this language, & it is extremely unclear how the language worked, or what it even looked like. Their population reached approximately 50,000 at its highest.
Amongst the natives of Florida, they were described to have lots of power, & influence over other tribes. This influence stretched from the West to the East Coast, even though they did not live in that area. Their diets primarily consisted of fish, wild berries, roots, & nuts. They did not have farms, & instead would gather food naturally. Much of their fishing equipment was made out of either wood, or shell.
Fishing would take place either on shore, through nets, or in a dug-out style canoe. Their fishing nets were constructed of Palm Leaves, & were used to catch pinfish, catfish, & pigfish. After eating the meat from the fish, they would take the bones & use them as arrowheads. These arrows were largely used to hunt deer, & fight the Spanish. To catch turtles as well as eels, they would construct to use shell spears. They were extremely adept sailors, & were known to sail as far as Cuba, which is approximately 194.42 nautical miles (223.73454 miles or 360.06584 kilometers) away from the island at their closest points.
Very little is known about their clothing habits, or their footwear. Unlike nearby tribes, they did not make any ceramics. Much of their jewelry was made using shells, although very little of it has survived.
The Spanish described them to be between 5 feet & 6 inches, & 5 feet & 8 inches, with tanned skin. Many of them would have long hair, & were generally muscular. It is unclear what their social & societal structures looked like.
Their houses would be built on stilts, in order to provide protection from the high tide. Leaves from the Palmetto tree were woven into large sheets, & used as roofs. When the Spanish arrived near the island, they responded aggressively. They would often attack Spanish vessels anchored near the island, & would then salvage resources from the shipwrecks.
What became of the Calusa, is utterly tragic. While fighting with the Spanish, many of them contracted diseases that their immune system had not yet developed protection against. This caused widespread epidemics, & killed the majority of the population. Those who remained, were sold into the slave trade by other Native American groups who came from Georgia, & South Carolina.
The Most Destructive Natural & Man-Caused Disasters To Affect Sanibel Island
Disaster No. 1: Hurricane Ian Of 2022
Hurricane Ian was an Atlantic hurricane that lasted from September 28th of 2022, to September 30th of 2022. It formed as a small tropical depression, & reached Category 5. It first made landfall as a Category 3 Hurricane, in Cuba. It claimed 3 lives on the island, & knocked out the power grid for the entire island. At its peak, it reached approximately 155 miles per hour.
The hurricane ravaged Sanibel Island, & caused approximately 12 feet of water to surge, & flood the island. Streets were inaccessible, & many could not get supplies.
It is to date, the second deadliest hurricane of our century to make landfall in the continental United States since Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane claimed 101 lives directly, 92 of which were from Florida. It is estimated that the hurricane claimed upwards of 150 lives indirectly. Hurricane Ian is estimated to have caused approximately 112 billion U.S.D in damages.
Disaster No. 2: The Tampa Bay Hurricane of 1921
The 1921 Tampa Bay Hurricane was an Atlantic Hurricane that split Sanibel Island from Captiva Island. At its maximum, it reached Category 4 level Strength. It hit Florida on October 24th, 1921. It hit at a moment's warning, & many counties were unable to issue evacuation orders quickly enough.
Upon hitting, it immediately began causing flooding. Rain quickly flooded the ground floor of the Tampa Electric control complex. Thankfully, before leaving, the power workers at Tampa Electric cut off all electricity to the county, & a few towns in nearby counties. This was an incredibly important decision, as in the aftermath of the hurricane, cables & exposed wires littered the flooded streets. Had they not cut the power, the streets would have been effectively electrified. This would have caused injuries, & could have prevented emergency services from reaching civilians.
It is unclear if the hurricane claimed any lives, or how many were injured as a result of the storm. In the aftermath of the Hurricane, the Captiva & Sanibel Islands were cut away from each other due to surges of water. This water never dissipated, & the islands remain separated.
It is estimated that the hurricane caused approximately 10 million U.S.D in damages. Adjusted for Inflation, this would be well over 180 million U.S.D today.
The Economic State Of Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is economically stable. The main industry of both Sanibel & Captiva Island, is Tourism. The island is known to be one of the top 100 destinations in the U.S, & has one of the best airports in the United States. Aside from tourism, Sanibel exports a fair number of products, ranging from pharmaceuticals to fish. This is usually through the large commercial harbour on the Northeast end of the island.
The median household income is approximately 103,413 U.S.D, with a working population of 2.28 thousand.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “History Of Sanibel Island”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By the Island Inn. Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024
Citation No. 2: “Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Area History”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber Of Commerce Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “The Calusa Native Americans”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown. Published by the Florida Department Of Environmental Protection. Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024
Citation No. 4: “The Calusa: “The Shell Indians”, Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by The University Of South Florida. Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024
Citation No. 5: “Hurricane Ian, Sept 28-30, 2022” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Weather Service. Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024.
Citation No. 6: “The 1921 Tampa Bay Hurricane” Written By Michael Bouth, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Tampa Historical. Retrieval Date: January 24th, 2024.
Citation No. 7: “Sanibel, FL” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Data USA. Retrieved January 24th, 2024.
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