The community has an opportunity to learn about the historic accommodations on Captiva and Sanibel, from rooming homes to resorts, with the screening of a new collaborative documentary.

Hosted by the Captiva Island Historical Society and Sanibel Historical Museum and Village, Be Our Guest will be held on Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. at The Community House on Sanibel. The event will feature the showing of “The History of Lodging on Sanibel & Captiva,” a full-length film created by the groups.

“This is our second collaboration on a documentary,” CIHS President Tom Libonate said, adding that last year the two groups produced a film on Blind Pass. “This year, it’s on the history of lodging.”

Directed by Ken Sneeden & Associates, “The History of Lodging on Sanibel & Captiva” taps the archives of both the CIHS and museum to relay the history, as well as includes live interviews.

“It’s a chronology. It goes back to the early early days,” he said.

“What is intriguing about the lodging and the research we’ve done, many basically started out as boarding homes,” Libonate added. “Kind of like a precursor to Airbnb.”

Just under one-hour in length, the documentary goes into accommodations on both islands still in existence, like the Island Inn and Casa Ybel Resort on Sanibel and the ‘Tween Waters Inn and Jensen’s Twin Palms on Captiva, plus others no longer around, such as the Fisherman’s Lodge on Captiva.

“We’re covering both islands as far as the history,” he said, pointing out the proximity of the sister islands to one another. “It’s natural for us to share our history – and so much of it overlaps.”

Libonate noted that a number of today’s resorts have been maintained as family-owned.

“So they have maintained that history,” he said. “Those establishments were able to contribute (to the documentary) as well, because they had lots of lore and historical information and artifacts.”

In addition, it touches on when things like shelling and sport fishing became attractions.

“It addresses how people got here and what they did when they got here,” Libonate said. “Where folks came from and why they kept coming back.”

As for the live interviews, they consist of people sharing their own early experiences with lodging or they are interviewees who have an understanding or knowledge of the islands’ history of lodging.

It took about nine months from start to finish to produce the documentary.

“Typically, these are very time-involved projects,” he said.

Tickets are $10, and seating is limited.

Complimentary refreshments and appetizers will be available from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

“A good portion of the interviewees will be in attendance and will be available for conservations and questions after the documentary, as well as the film producer himself,” Libonate said.

People are encouraged to reserve their tickets.

“If you enjoy our history, there are many surprises. We kind of refer to them as ah has,” he said. “There’s always surprises that we’re able to uncover. It’s something that we strive for, to have those little hidden gems.”

“He (Ken Sneeden) even came up with a few tidbits that surprised us,” Libonate added.

For more information or to purchase event tickets, contact Sanibel Historical Museum and Village Executive Director Emilie Alfino at 239-472-4648 or info@sanibelmuseum.org.

The Community House is at 2173 Periwinkle Way.