Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)
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Pine Island is an island located in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast of southwest Florida. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Pine Island Sound, to the west of the island. Matlacha Pass runs between Pine Island and the mainland. Pine Island lies west of Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
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[edit] Geography
Unlike the sandy barrier islands of Sanibel to the south, Captiva to the southwest, and North Captiva to the west, Pine Island is made from the same coral rock as the mainland. Sanibel owes its unique shrimp-like shape (and orientation perpendicular to the coast) to being on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from Pine Island.
[edit] Communities
Pine Island is home to four unincorporated towns: Pine Island Center, Bokeelia, Pineland, and St. James City. Matlacha is also considered one of the communities, but is actually on its own small island. Bokeelia is at the north end of the island, at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor.
[edit] Ecology
Pine Island is also home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge. Little Pine Island is a state-owned wildlife refuge, currently being "de-developed" and returned to its natural state. Ospreys, herons, egrets and ibises, and, roseate spoonbills are often seen, as well as owls, hawks, bald eagles, and songbirds.
[edit] History
Skeletons unearthed on the island have been dated to about 6000 years ago. The Calusa people are thought to have inhabited Pine Island since around the year 300, possibly centered on what is now Pineland, where an archaeological dig is located. Ponce de Leon is believed to have landed near there in 1513. After the Calusas died out in the 1700s due to the wars and diseases brought by Spanish exploration, the island was essentially uninhabited until 1873.
[edit] Hurricanes
Pine Island was hit hard in 2004 when Hurricane Charley passed through the area.
