The Florida Anthropological Society has awarded Sanibel Public Library’s Betty Anholt with the Certificate of Achievement to acknowledge her contribution to the understanding and preservation of Florida’s Archaeological and Anthropological heritage.
Anholt was nominated for this statewide award by the President of the Southwest Florida Archaeological Society (SWFAS), John F. Furey. In Anholt’s nomination letter Furey writes, “She has been called the ‘Unofficial Historian of Sanibel’. We at SWFAS wish to recognize her accomplishments and her integration of archaeology and history at Sanibel and Captiva Islands.”
Anholt moved to Sanibel in 1969 from New Jersey. She and late husband Jim Anholt ran the Sanibel Transit trolley service for many years before Anholt joined Sanibel Public Library. She has combined her love for the Sanibel and Captiva islands with archaeology, conservation, and preservation. Her dedication to the history of Sanibel and Captiva islands has previously been recognized when, in 2020, she was honored with the creation of the Betty Anholt Guardian of History Award by the Captiva Historical Society. Anholt has written seven books on Sanibel’s history, including Protecting Sanibel and Captive Islands: The Conservation Story and Sanibel’s Story: Voices and Images from Calusa to Incorporation.
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