History of Sanibel
Part 1
Whether you spend your time on Sanibel enjoying island shops, wildlife trails, shelling, or dining, throughout each new adventure you will undoubtedly be touched by the romance of the island. Like many vacation destinations, Sanibel derives her romantic aura not only from her modern luxury and postcard beauty, but also from her rich historic past that has left an imprint on the island over the centuries. Like a preserved home that has aged over time to dimmed hues and softened floorboards, Sanibel’s romance is a product of the passage of time and events – something only imitated in modern resort construction.
Early History
In 3000B.C. a storm off the coast of Florida created a sandbar that we know today as Captiva Island. (Captiva is attached to the north end of Sanibel.) Mangroves quickly grew on the island, and their tangled network of roots fortified the sandbar, holding it in place and creating a permanent island. Over time, more sand formed south of Captiva creating the Island of Sanibel. The process is slow, and the eastern end of the island where the lighthouse is located has only existed since 1500 A.D.. Even for islands so young, their history is rich with tales of natives, pirates, merchants, armies and peace-loving settlers.
The earliest and first settlers to arrive on Sanibel and Captiva were the Calusa Indians. While the date of their arrival is unknown exactly, they moved on the islands during their formation. By 1500 A.D., the Calusa were well established in settlements across southern Florida. Living off the sea and using shells as tools, the Calusa were organized enough to construct large canoes for travel as far as Mexico. Like other Native American tribes, the Calusa were a handsome yet rustic group, wearing deerskin clothing and holding religious beliefs that centered around gods and traditions specific to their tribe. Calusas had their own religion and membership in the tribe required strict adherence to tradition. Sacrifices were common, often involving those that were considered non-believers, but also as a sign of respect after the death of a chief or young child. It was not uncommon for many servants or children to be sacrificed at a time to keep the dead company in the after-life.
1500’s-1850’s
Juan Ponce de Leon named Sanibel Island “Santa Isybella” (after Spain’s Queen Isabella) when he landed on her in 1513. He landed on the island after traveling around Florida and used the island as a place to clean his ships before returning to Havana. Later, in 1521, he would return with a ship full of settlers to establish a European settlement, but his plan was foiled when they were attacked by the Calusa. The Calusa injured de Leon with a poisoned arrow in his thigh, which ultimately caused his death after his retreat to Havana.
After
Ponce de Leon, many would attempt to settle the
islands throughout the 1500’s and 1600’s, but
always the attempts failed, as
those who came were driven off by the Calusa. The Calusa were unable to
repel
visitors indefinitely, however. In the 1700’s, when Spanish
ships were well
armed with cannons and gunpowder, slave ships were able to capture
hundreds of
Calusa. Any that were not captured fled to join the Seminole tribe, and
the
Calusa nation came to an end. The Spanish still never firmly
established
themselves on the islands because in 1763 they traded Florida to
England to
regain the country of Cuba, which the Spanish had lost during the Seven
Years’
War.
In 1817
the two pirates met when Caesar’s crew living on Sanibel
decided to raid Gaspar’s prison on Captiva and steal the
females being kept
there. Gaspar pursued Caesar from Captiva to Sanibel and, as legend
goes,
Caesar was forced to flee to the west coast of Florida without his
buried
treasure. Gaspar’s dominance of the island came to an end in
1822 when the U.S.
Navy disguised one of its ships as a British merchant ship to lure
Gaspar in
for an attack. When the pirate sailed over to plunder the ship, the
U.S. opened
fire on him and his men. It is said that rather than be taken alive,
Gaspar
tied himself to his ship’s anchor and jumped overboard.
While
there is documentation supporting the U.S.’s clash
with Gaspar, as well as supporting the existence of Henri Caesar, no
evidence
of the hordes of treasure both are said to have abandoned on the
islands has
ever come to light. While estimates of stolen treasure range into the
many
millions, not a single bit has ever been found. Still, the thought of
finding
buried treasure teases the mind while exploring the many wonders of
Sanibel.