Bailey’s annual ornament features beloved lighthouse
BAILEY'S GENERAL STORE
Bailey’s General Store on Sanibel recently unveiled its 2023 Christmas ornament, which showcases the iconic Sanibel Lighthouse and reflects the enduring spirit of islanders and visitors both near and far.
“This cherished tradition is just a small way for the third and fourth generations of owner-operators at Bailey’s to maintain a personal connection with customers while the fourth building iteration of Bailey’s General Store and Bailey’s Center is planned,” fourth-generation owner-operator Calli Johnson said in a prepared statement.
First lit on Aug. 20, 1884, the lighthouse — also known as the Point Ybel Light — marks the entrance to the San Carlos Bay and the historic port of Punta Rassa. The location was strategically located for Florida’s booming cattle industry and trade with locales further south. Florida Crackers driving their cattle to the port began the pilgrimage across the bay and beyond first made by the cattle, then later by visitors and residents of the islands when tourism became the reigning industry in the Florida.
After the United States forcibly removed native peoples from the area in the 1800s, the Lighthouse Board requested funds from Congress to establish a light first in 1881. Approval and land disputes delayed construction to 1884, when the foundation of the light was constructed. Tragedy first struck the lighthouse when the schooner carrying the original iron skeleton from New Jersey sank merely two miles from the intended home. All but two pieces of the skeleton were salvaged by hardhat divers.
As one of the first lights on the west coast north of Key West, it is designed for its namesake as a “Sanibel Class” light and sistered by 13 remaining lights, with three sister lights residing on the west coast and panhandle. The Sanibel Lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and now under U.S. Coast Guard operation. The original flashes were modified around 1933 to the current 10-second grouped flash. The light went unused during World War II, when even dimming the light would have still blinded lookouts at the tower just south of the light watching for enemy vessels. In 1949, the lighthouse was unmanned and the keepers quarters became the headquarters for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Electrified in 1963, the original lens was replaced with a smaller 500 mm glass lens. The light has operated as a beacon for the islands since relighting after World War II.
After Hurricane Ian hit on Sept. 28, 2022, rumors quickly spread that the island symbol was toppled by the near-Category 5 storm. Islanders returned to find it was missing a leg, but all of the surrounding historic buildings including the Caretakers Cottages had been washed away by the 14-foot storm surge, leaving only a few bricks behind. The light was extinguished when Ian blew through, but relit by the U.S. Coast Guard on Feb. 26 — exactly six months after the islands were ravaged. Now a symbol of resilience with a “broken” leg, it represents the island community with its battered yet unbroken spirit.
“The lighthouse has been on our ‘list’ for years, but it holds even more of a special place in our hearts as we recover from the hurricane. It reminds us that we’re still standing strong,” fourth-generation owner-operator and finance manager Bailie Johnson said in the prepared statement of why it was chosen. “Our store and the lighthouse have much in common, including their history, their founding principles and their symbol of resilience. Just like the Point Ybel Light, we will continue to weather future storms for our community.”
The tradition of the ornaments began in 2009 with an idea driven by one of Bailey’s longtime staff members, Pat Kiely. Kiely’s unfailing dedication to the Bailey’s brand led to her creation of the first ornament, custom-made and gold-plated by the Charleston Mint, which featured the Bailey’s logo.
The 2023 ornament can be purchased from The Island Store on Captiva, which is also operated by the family and its staff, or by visiting Bailey’s online store at https://baileysofsanibel.myshopify.com/.
The Island Store is at 1500 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva.
