Barrier islands like Orchid Island are dynamic landscapes, with storms and currents constantly changing the terrain. Despite these challenges, people have lived on this island for over 3000 years, including the Ais tribe and their predecessors who built villages and fished here. The Sebastian Inlet, across the lagoon from the Sebastian River, was prone to recurring natural closings, making it unreliable for boats and overland crossings. In 1872, local resident David Gibson dug the first short-lived “cut.” Towns such as Orchid, Enos, and Averill grew on the island, cultivating citrus, pineapple, and vegetables while using trails and the lagoon for transportation. In the early 1900s, county residents advocated reopening the inlet to improve the lagoon’s water quality. The inlet was dredged in 1918 but filled again soon after. The Sebastian Inlet District was formed in May 1919 to maintain a navigational channel between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. The inlet was opened again in 1923, shoaled in 1938, reopened in 1939, and was closed by a storm in 1941. Surplus US Navy ordnance was used in 1947 to reopen the inlet, and it has been continuously open and maintained by the Sebastian Inlet District.
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.