Pine Island : A Short History

 Twenty years after Florida was granted statehood in 1845, the land and surrounding waters still remained largely unexplored. The coast teemed with Spanish explorers, cut-throat pirates, and Calusa Indians.

1927 saw the completion of Matlacha Bridge, the only link from island to mainland. With it's construction came settlers drawn by the promise of untouched land and quiet isolation. Among such settlers were local eccentrics, from a man who entertained guests with a pet buzzard, to a recluse known as "Swamp Angel". These early inhabitants hunkered down and dug in, claiming property (often by Squatter's Rights), building homes, and establishing the first local businesses.