Old Sanibel

A Place to Go While on Sanibel

Be sure to take the time to visit the Sanibel Historical Village and Museum. This is a place of interest to all ages. A visit to the Village is a visit to the past, to Old Sanibel (the way it was and the way I wish it was today).

• The Rutland House
  Uncle Clarence’s house is restored to its early 1900’s charm. Garden crops are planted behind Clarence’s house the way they were years ago.
• Bailey’s General Store
  You all know Bailey’s Present, see what it was like (BC) before the causeway. The Sanibel Packing Company where the sign outside says it all “If we don’t have, you don’t need it!”
• The Packing House
  A replica house was designed from remnants recently discovered and photographs from the early 1900’s. Scattered on the loading dock are pieces of farming life found in sites of new construction.
• Morning Glories Cottage
  Facing the water as it did on the Bay side of the island in the 1920’s. The was a Sears Roebuck kit home, the 1924 Honor Built Home, ordered form the catalog and delivered by rail then barge. It came with everything except for the carpenter to put it together. ( A close friend of mine actually lived in this home in the early 90’s)
• The Burnap Cottage
  Was built in 1898 at Woodring Point on the Bay side. It supposedly was occupied by an itinerant preacher and to have had a ghostly event. The house now houses a Sanibel Lighthouse display, history of early island churches and remnants of the Algiers( an old paddle wheel boat that was establish on the site of Algiers Beach by the owner of the Buster Brown Shoe Co. and was to be used for a Winter home, however the wife died and it was never occupied. But a great story none the less that I was told by a good friend of the owner)
• 1926 Post Office
  Built from a patchwork of lumber sizes speaks of its origin as hurricane debris, while the number of mail slots tells the island population. It’s not much bigger than most modern day bathrooms.
• Miss Charlotta’s Tea Room
  Built for use as a gas station, later used for a retail store and finally a home in the 1930’s. It is restored to its 30’s look before it became a home.
• The Old School House
  Constructed in 1896 on Bailey Road, later moved to a location on Periwinkle Way, improved , expanded to two rooms and finally retired as a school when a new integrated school was built, the Old “white” Schoolhouse was used as a theater until 2004. Extensive restoration has returned it to its early 1900’s appearance complete with original school bell in the roof top cupola.

Keep in mind these buildings were all moved to the Village from other locations, this was feat in its self. Requiring assistance from the fire department, police, utility companies, retailers, neighbors, etc., etc., and all in the dark of night in order to cause the least inconvenience to the public.

So some day when visiting on Sanibel and your burnt and shopped out stop by the Historical Village 10am to 4pm Wed-Sat ($5 per adult donation) 950 Dunlop Road next to Big Arts next door to the Police and City offices just down the road from the island’s fantastic library(where the public can have access to the internet).