BY JAMES J. BLAHA, DIRECTOR, BOCA GRANDE HISTORY CENTER After many years of bringing my family to Florida for vacations, my wife and I decided to plan for our retirement, which included moving to the Sunshine State. Previously, we had rented condos but eventually invested in timeshares on Sanibel Island.
After an exhaustive search for affordable retirement property on Sanibel Island – during which we quickly learned the difference between “oceanfront” and “ocean view” – our Sanibel realtor suggested we continue our search in “Old Florida,” specifically a place called Boca Grande. Thus, on New Year’s Eve Day in 1987, we temporarily left our Sanibel timeshare and began our search for “Shangri-La.” After numerous stops to ask for directions, we finally found the entrance to the causeway, paid the toll, and began our drive on the privately owned Boca Grande Causeway (also known as the Schuckman Causeway).
As we drove over the middle bridge, I looked to my right and was dazzled by the sparkling emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. I turned to my wife and said, “This is it. We have arrived at our future home!” We purchased our home on Boca Grande in 1988.
The intent of this article is to highlight some of my impressions as a newbie in 1988, note the changes since then, and share a few historical tidbits. Boca Grande Causeway In 1988, the toll for cars was $3.20.
Only Gasparilla Island property owners could apply for a discounted toll, but they had t.