Matlacha just hit its 100-year milestone, and the community got together Tuesday to celebrate more than just a century. County, local, and state officials joined residents at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the reopening of the restored Matlacha Community Center and Pine Island Art Building, plus the completion of the new Little Pine Island Bridge.
Everyone gathered at Matlacha Community Park. After a few quick speeches, officials lined up behind a bright red ribbon, grinning as they cut it and officially launched a new chapter for the area.
Hurricane Ian did a number on Matlacha – flooding and strong winds left Parks & Recreation buildings battered, demolished parts of the bridge, and tore up Pine Island Road. Lee County handled the repairs using FEMA Public Assistance funds, so residents didn’t get stuck with the bill. The community center and art building were back open in February, and Matlacha Park itself — boat ramp, pier, pavilions, playground — never went dark. People kept coming, rain or shine.
The Florida Department of Transportation took care of the bridge project in three phases. The new Little Pine Island Bridge isn’t just stronger — it’s safer too, with better drainage and utility upgrades that prepare it for whatever storms roll through next. They widened it from 35 to 53 feet, though there are still two 11-foot driving lanes.
A ribbon-cutting celebration feels right for Matlacha, especially now. This year marks a century since the town’s founding.
Digging into the history, it all started in 1926 when workers began linking Pine Island to the mainland with a bridge. The foreman at the time reported that they pumped fill out of Matlacha Pass to make the causeway and approaches. Apparently, they used two miles’ worth of hydraulic dredge fill to build it. But then, on September 17, 1926, a hurricane smashed the new wooden swing bridge. After the storm, the team rebuilt. They finished the new wooden bridge between Pine Island and the mainland by 1927, a true testament to resilience, both then and now.
