Sanibel Island Lighthouse Story
Sanibel and Captiva islands are two sister islands just off of Florida’s west coast. The two islands are connected by a bridge. They are located between Fort Myers and Naples and are just a little closer to Fort Myers. Because of the location, it was an obvious choice for a place to build a lighthouse. Building a light house on Sanibel Island was first suggested in 1856 but no action was taken by the Lighthouse Board. After the Civil War, a lighthouse was again requested and the decision was discussed. Even way back then it the Congress of the United States a long time to take action. Finally, in 1883, $50,000 (fifty-thousand dollars) was finally granted and construction of the lighthouse was begun in 1884 on Sanibel Island. The lighthouse was being built on the Eastern most tip of Sanibel Island but the superstructure was fabricated in the north. The components were shipped by boat. In addition to the lighthouse itself, there were also two square keeper’s homes built on...