13 Facts About Sanibel

Sanibel is an island and city in Lee County, Florida, United States.

Sanibel remained an important Calusa settlement until the collapse of their empire, soon after the arrival of the Europeans.

Sanibel is not the only island in the area to figure prominently in the legends of Gaspar; Captiva, Useppa, and Gasparilla are connected.

Sanibel appears in another tale, this one involving Gaspar's ally-turned-rival Black Caesar, said to have been a former Haitian slave who escaped during the Haitian Revolution to become a pirate.

Legendary pirates' dens aside, the first modern settlement on Sanibel was established by the Florida Peninsular Land Company in 1832.

Related searches

The City of Sanibel passed new restrictions on development after it was incorporated; these were challenged by developers, to no avail.

The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel is the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to the study of shells.

Sanibel Island is home to a significant variety of birds, including the roseate spoonbill and several nesting pairs of bald eagles.

Sanibel beaches attract visitors from all around the world, partly because of the large quantities of seashells that frequently wash up there.

However, beach parking on Sanibel itself is very limited, and in high season finding a convenient parking space can be a challenge.

The Sanibel Lighthouse survived with little damage, the Sanibel Causeway suffered relatively minor damage except for a toll booth being tilted partly over, and a small seawall was eroded.

New three-section causeway bridge to Sanibel was completed during the summer of 2007, with a high-span section replacing the original drawbridge.

Sanibel Island is the main setting for crime novels written by local author Randy Wayne White.