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CIHS screens documentary on lighthouse

By CAPTIVA ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2 min read
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In support of the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village, the Captiva Island Historical Society held a screening of “Secrets and Stories of the Sanibel Lighthouse” on Jan. 24 at the Captiva Civic Center on Captiva.

More than 100 people attended the viewing for the film, which was created by documentarian Ken Sneeden and produced by the museum. The CIHS donated the proceeds from event to the museum for use toward its ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian.

Following refreshments on the porch, CIHS Vice President Mike Boris welcomed the crowd. CIHS Director Blair Wyatt, a former member of the museum’s board, then introduced museum Board President Celina Monte-Sano, who spoke about the work remaining to restore the museum buildings.

Sneeden began and ended the documentary by introducing the concept of a lighthouse as a symbol of both isolation and connection. The film portrayed both, as it documented the rich and varied history of the Sanibel Lighthouse, from its completion in 1884 to its current blinking beacon. It is now owned by the city of Sanibel, but operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The documentary highlighted the families who operated the lighthouse and its role in:

– Contributing to the world-wide best practices for mosquito control.

– The development of increasingly sophisticated lighthouse lenses.

– The use of “Square Skeletal” iron works for lighthouses, which could be transported from their origins in Trenton, New Jersey.

– Post-Pearl Harbor vigilance to spot German submarines.

– The prevention of shipwrecks in the shallow waters, the shifting sands, and seasonal hurricanes of Southwest Florida.

Throughout its history, the lighthouse was the focus of its isolated keepers, while they provided help and companionship to the early homesteaders and subsequent residents of Sanibel and Captiva.

The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company is the presenting sponsor for the CIHS season programs.