Have you ever ventured just kitty-corner across the street from the entrance to Ocean’s Reach?
If so, you may know about one of the best kept secrets on Sanibel Island!
It’s where you can just so happen to find a slice of the island’s bike trails that leads to Sanibel’s “Pioneer Cemetery,” adjacent to Gulfside City Park.
The land was donated by the Rev. George Barnes’ family near the turn of the 20th century as a public burial ground, although it was never dedicated as a cemetery. It contains at least 31 graves — many of them unmarked. There is a small plot surrounded by a wooden fence that contains 10 gravesites, with simple wooden signs dating back to 1889.
It’s definitely worth a quick jaunt to explore during your next visit to Ocean’s Reach. Many of our guests have no idea that they’re sleeping so close to some of our island’s original pioneers!
