Pioneer settlement on Sanibel centered around Point Ybel, which is now considered “Old Town Sanibel.” This area near the lighthouse was once the center of island activity, where most of Sanibel’s early pioneers passed through. By 1889, there were 21 houses and 40 families living on Sanibel. In 1892, with a population nearing 100, Sanibel built its first schoolhouse, which visitors can now see displayed at the Sanibel Historical Village. As industrialists from the north, such as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, discovered the balmy climate and fishing paradise of Fort Myers, they also made their way to unbridged Sanibel Island for rest and relaxation. In the late 1880s, the beautiful Casa Ybel Resort – originally known as “The Sisters” – began their tradition of gracious hospitality to travelers seeking sun, sand and sea.

Regarded as one of the islands’ most influential visitors, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling first discovered Sanibel on a trip in 1935. A Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist and noted conservationist, “Ding” wintered on Captiva for years to come, and actively campaigned for federal protection of the island’s fragile ecosystem. In 1945, more than 6,300 acres of mangrove, bay and estuary became the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and today is home to more than 300 species of birds, 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 30 types of mammals.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Sanibel and Captiva’s reputation as sanctuary islands attracted more and more visitors. Drawn by its now-famous Florida beaches, shelling, fishing, and wildlife, visitors arrived via a half-hour ferry ride from Fort Myers. Many stocked up for the week at Bailey’s General Store, which is still a mainstay of the island today.

The Sanibel Causeway was completed in 1963, and soon threatened to change the face of the island. Many were afraid that the island would succumb to over-development and lose its charm and natural heritage. Eleven years later, Sanibel formed its own city government, allowing residents to control their own destiny in preserving the island. Land use restrictions enacted in 1974 continue to guide growth and development today, ensuring that generations of families will be able to continue to enjoy the special ambience and quiet harmony that Sanibel and Captiva Islands have to offer.