History

Pine Island is steeped in the history of the ancient Calusa . . . 

Calusa Indians are thought to have inhabited the island in peace from 30 0AD until 1513 when it’s believed Ponce De Leon landed on the west side of Pine Island. The Spanish not only fought the Calusas but introduced diseases from which they had no immunity, wiping them out by the 1700’s. An important archaeological dig is located in Pineland, a small community on northwest Pine Island  thought to have been the center of the Calusa civilization. For more information about the Calusa Indians but sure to visit the Randell Research Center

Except for the occasional pirate Pine Island was then basically uninhabited until 1873, when a few fishermen and farmers made this remote island location their home.The first bridge was built in the 1920’s, and the residential canals were developed in the 1960’s making Pine Island a more appealing location for full-time and seasonal residents.

Fishing and farming remain an important part of Pine Island Life, and more recently we’ve seen the arrival of eclectic gift shops, art galleries, and marinas. Today Pine Island’s four distinct communities boast of having no traffic signals, tolls or high rises making it the perfect place to step back in time to Old Florida.