Bunche Beach may be one of the last free-to-visit and free-to-park-there sandy slivers in Lee County. The preserve – officially called San Carlos Bay - Bunche Beach Preserve – is on the blueway, both on the Phase 1 map and the Phase 2 map. More notable, though, is its history.

Bunche Beach was designated as the African American beach in Lee County when the half-acre bayside site at the end of the John Morris Road was purchased in 1949. In 1950, there was a dedication ceremony, barbecue and festivities with more than 3,000 people in attendance from as far away as Tampa. It was officially dedicated and named Bunche Beach after Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche.

Dr. Bunche was a famous Michigan-born black American who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1950 for negotiating peace between Israel and four Arab Nations while working for the United Nations as a mediator in the Middle East.

In 2001, Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program and Florida Communities Trust purchased an additional 705 acres of environmentally sensitive land.

Since that time, donations of land and acquisition of more acreage have increased San Carlos Bay - Bunche Beach Preserve to 718 acres of conservation land for the public to enjoy.

San Carlos Bay - Bunche Beach Preserve is significant shore- and wading-bird habitat and is a stopping point on the Great Florida Birding Trail. It serves as a recreation destination for bird watchers, canoeists and kayakers, beach-goers, anglers and others. For more Bunche Beach information, go to www.leeparks.org or www.conservation2020.org.

Or check out its info right here on our Web site listed under “put in spots.”