Author, historian speaks to volunteers about Captiva history
Author, historian, and long-time volunteer Jeri Magg recently enlightened and entertained the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village volunteers with an hour-long discussion on Captiva’s history.
Magg told stories of William Binder, who was shipwrecked in a storm off Boca Grande around 1860. The only survivor, he could not swim and clung to driftwood as the tides took him to Captiva.
John and Julia Dickey arrived in 1904 on Sanibel, but found it was quite a trip from the bay to the beach as there was no Periwinkle Way or Lindgren Boulevard. They found the narrower Captiva better met their needs. The Dickeys had three sons and their teacher, Reba Fitzpatrick, came along. The boys built Fitzpatrick a home. Today, the ‘Tween Waters Inn’s dining room is all that remains of the house.
In 1898, George Carter, his wife and five children came to homestead 160 acres on what is now part of the South Seas Resort. The Carter grandchildren loved life on the plantation. The boys loved to skinny dip – and smoke. One boy put his pipe in his pants before taking a dip and found his pants on fire after returning to shore. None of his cousins would lend him some pants, so he was forced to dash through his mother’s prayer group in the living room naked.
Magg is the author of “Historic Sanibel & Captiva Islands: Tales of Paradise” and “Remarkable Women of Sanibel & Captiva.” Both are available at the Sanibel Historical Village store.
The next Volunteer Update is April 2. Ann Walters, of the old Harbor House Restaurant, will speak.
The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is at 950 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $10 for ages 18 and older; youth and members are free. Docent-guided tours are at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at no extra charge, based upon docent availability.
For information, call 239-472-4648 or visit www.sanibelmuseum.org.