Useppa Island Historical Society |

Welcome!

Located in Florida amidst the serene waters of Pine Island Sound is Useppa Island, a beautiful tropical island only one mile long and a third of a mile at its widest part. Yet as small as this island is, visitors have been coming to Useppa for over 10,000 years and this tiny piece of land has played a significant role in our nation’s history.

First visited by the Paleo people and then thought to have been a tool factory for the Calusas, Useppa was used as a fishing ranchero by Cuban fishermen for several decades. Home to Union supporters during the Civil War, it was a grand sport fishing and vacation resort during the early 1900’s, a training facility for the CIA and the Bay of Pigs during the 1960’s and evolved into a modern resort during the 1970’s.

Explore more infomation about us:

Click Here

Located on an island accessible only by water, the Barbara Sumwalt Museum can be reached in several ways.

You may arrive via the private tour boat operated by Captiva Cruises departing from Captiva Island, FL. This relaxing and delightful voyage provides a narrated cruise through the waters of Pine Island Sound and takes about an hour to arrive on Useppa. Visitors aboard the Captiva Cruise boat may dine on the island and will still have plenty of time to visit the museum. Please visit CaptivaCruises.com for more information.

You may also come to the museum by private water taxi, your vessel, or aboard the Useppa Island Club launch, which departs from the north end of Pine Island, FL. Since Useppa is a private island, arrangements must be made in advance to visit the island, and visitors may not dine on the island unless accommodations have been made with Useppa Island Club. Please contact the Museum Director at director@useppahs.org or at 239-283-9600, or call Useppa Island Club at 239-283-1061 to help you plan your visit.

Museum Hours:

The Museum is open daily from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Museum Admittance:

We do ask for a $5 admittance fee for adults over 18, which includes an audio tour to help you explore 10,000 years of Useppa’s history.

Group Visits:

We would love to have your group come visit the museum. Groups of 15 or more must call in advance to arrange a visit. Group tours may be scheduled for any day of the week.

For the benefit of our members and visitors, and to enhance your visit, group tours are generally scheduled during the hours when the museum is not open to the general public.

If your group would like to visit during the winter or spring season, we recommend you call well in advance to ensure your group will be able to visit on the desired day.

You can arrange a group visit by contacting the Museum Director at director@useppahs.org or 239-283-9600.