Captiva and Sanibel have a rich history that spans thousands of years. Many important figures have played significant roles in defining the islands. In honor of President’s Day, Capturing Captiva highlights Captiva and Sanibel’s Presidential history by looking at Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
Related: Captiva Island History
Captiva Island: President Theodore Roosevelt
President Theodore Roosevelt is one of America’s most fascinating presidents, one whose accomplishments and actions defined the nation and America’s place in the world.
Most important to the San-Cap area was his role as one of the founders of the American conservation movement. Even before becoming president, Roosevelt was a well-respected figure within the natural science and conservation circles. He was a skilled taxidermist, hunter and nature writer.
Roosevelt traveled the nation seeking out the natural beauty and wonders. One such place was the Sanibel Island area which he visited while fishing in Pine Island Sound.
Conservation Pioneer
President Roosevelt had long advocated for the protection of birds and big game. Fearful that Florida’s brown pelican was headed to extinction, he looked into what actions he could take to save this species. In 1903, After discovering that Florida’s Atlantic coast Pelican Island (which was filled with brown pelicans) was federal property, Roosevelt took swift action.
With the stroke of his pen, Roosevelt signed an executive order creating the nation’s first federal bird refuge, leading to what would eventually grow into the National Wildlife Refuge System. By the time Roosevelt left office in 1909, 55 national wildlife refuges would be established, nine of which were in Florida.
In 1908, President Roosevelt established the Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge near Sanibel and Captiva to protect the area’s pelicans, herons and egrets from the plume trade. This refuge is now administered by the nearby J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
Roosevelt Channel, the waterway between Buck Key and Captiva Island, bears his name.
Sanibel Island: President Harry Truman
On April 12, 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, making Harry Truman the nation’s 33rd President. After serving as vice president for a mere 82 days, President Truman found himself with bringing the Second World War to a close and America’s soldiers and sailors home.
Germany soon surrendered, and by September, the war ended with the surrender of Japan, enabling Truman to shift his attention toward domestic policies.
At the urging of local conservationist and political cartoonist Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, President Truman signed an executive order creating the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge in December 1945. In 1967, it was renamed the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, for Darling’s role in the in creating the refuge and for his role in the broader conservation movement.
At 6,400 acres, the refuge dominates Sanibel Island and is a popular destination for visitors of both islands.
Visit the Sites
Further Reading
- Where the Wild Things Are (Smithsonian Magazine)
- Teddy Roosevelt’s Captiva Island Legacy (Blog: Greater Fort Myers Real Estate)
- The Wilderness Warrior (Douglas Brinkley; book on Roosevelt’s conservation legacy)
