ed after the implementation of the
Homestead Act in 1862, and again a lighthouse was petitioned. Construction on
the Sanibel Island Lighthouse was completed in 1884, but the community remained
small. In May 1963 a causeway linking Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland was
opened, resulting in an explosion of growth. The City of Sanibel passed new
restrictions on development after it was incorporated; these were challenged by
developers, to no avail. Currently the only buildings on the island taller than
two stories date before 1974, and there are no fast food or chain restaurants
allowed on the island except a Dairy Queen and a Subway, which were on the
island before the laws were enacted. A new causeway was completed in 2007; it
replaced the worn out 1963 spans, which were not designed to carry heavy loads
or large numbers of vehicles. The new bridge features a "flyover"
span tall enough for sailboats to pass under, replacing the old bridge's
bascule drawbridge span. The original bridge was demolished and its remains
were sunk into the water to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
The main town is located on the eastern end of the island.
The city was formed in 1974 as a direct result of the main causeway being built
in 1963 to replace the ferry, and the rampant construction and development that
occurred afterward. Developers sued over the new restrictions, but the city and
citizens prevailed in their quest to protect the island. The only buildings
above two to three stories now on the barrier island were built during that
period.
The city is on Gulf coast of Southwest Florida, and is
linked to the mainland by the Sanibel Causeway. A short bridge over Blind Pass
links Sanibel to the unincorporated town of Captiva on Captiva Island. More
than half of the two islands are preserved in its natural state as wildlife
refuges. Visitors can drive, walk, bike, or kayak
