Pine Island is a hidden gem nestled between the mainland of Southwest Florida and the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva. Seventeen miles long and two miles wide and only accessible by drawbridge, Pine Island seems a world apart from contemporary civilization.

Lacking mega malls, high rises, and crowded beaches, the island thrums with the close knit, small-town feeling lost with the 1940's. Devoid of a single stoplight, even the traffic is a throwback to yesteryear.

A solid twenty years after Florida was granted statehood in 1845, the land and surrounding waters still remained largley unexplored and uninhabited. The coast teemed with indian warriors of the Calusa tribe, spanish explorers, and cut-throat pirates. These early inhabitants and explorers were fiercly independent by necessity, a trait reflected by modern Pine Islanders.

1927 saw the completion of Matlacha Bridge, the only link from island to mainland. With its construction came characters drawn by the promise of pristine land and quiet isolation; from an eccentric who entertained guests with vulture fights, to a quircky recluse known as "Swamp Angel". These early settlers dug in and hunkered down, claiming property (often by Squatter's Rights), building homes, and establishing the first simple businesses.

 

The Island Today

Pine Island primarily consists of four communities, all boasting a distinct local flavor. Pineland, St. James City, and Bokeelia branch from a single hub at the island's center. The fourth community, Matlacha, actually sits on a tiny island between the mainland and the island proper. These areas were originally established as ports for local commercial fisherman, and continue to serve that purpose for many families.

 

 

Pine Island of the present is very similar to that of the past. It remains only accessible by a single drawbridge, and many fishermen, clammers, shrimpers, and crabbers still make their living from the sea, despite strict government regulations and restrictions.