Bailey Preserve, Sanibel Island. Image Courtesy Of SCCF.
Bailey Homestead: Making the Land Work, Wednesday, August 2 @ 8:30 AM.
“In 2011, The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) acquired a tract of land at 1300 Periwinkle Way known as the Bailey Homestead Preserve. It consists of 28 acres; however, only 9 acres will be accessible to the public. The remaining acres will be a permanent wildlife preserve. In the public use acreage, the emphasis is on education, preservation of the existing wildlife population, and appreciation of the many nature trails.
It consists of 28 acres; however, only 9 acres are accessible to the public. The remaining acres are a permanent wildlife preserve. In the public use acreage, the emphasis is on education, preservation of the existing wildlife population, and appreciation of the many nature trails.
The Bailey Homestead Preserve contains a Conservation Gateway Kiosk, with information about the preserve and other Sanibel nature areas, a waterfowl and wading bird pond that includes an observation platform, a windmill (that has been restored from hurricane damage in 1944), a Pavilion, a Native Plant Nursery, walking trails, and the Bailey homestead, that includes the original core of the home built in 1896.
For half a century the land was worked as a farm, first as a row farm that grew plants such as tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and other vegetables. After the soil was damaged by a hurricane, it later became a citrus farm. The land was also home to several generations of the Bailey family. It is one of only ten homes on the City of Sanibel’s Register of Historic Landmarks.
This one-hour walking tour of the Bailey Homestead Preserve blends SCCF’s mission-driven work on the historic property, the history of the land itself and some stories about the Bailey family, which farmed the land for three generations. No reservations are needed.
1300 Periwinkle Way. Meet at the Conservation Gateway Kiosk at the head of the Shipley Trail, near the entrance. Call Kristie or Dee at 472-2329 for more information.”
Free to members and children. $5 for non-members.
