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| Beach Homes |
Whether you travel to the area on vacation, consider moving to the Fort Myers area, or consider relocating your business to Lee County, Florida, we have the resources you need. Southwest Florida offers a wonderful climate - not only to our visitors, but as a place to relocate, expand or start a business.
There's always something to do in the Fort Myers area! We have many attractions and activities to make your stay exciting and interesting and everywhere you go, you'll find smiling faces welcoming you!
History
Ponce de Leon explored areas along Florida's Gulf coast in 1513 & 1521. The barrier islands of Lee County are believed to be one of his many stops. Spanish and Cuban settlers created temporary fishing and farming camps along the coast, but for years Southwest Florida was a rugged and isolated area.
In the early 1700s the Lee Island coastline first appeared with some accuracy in British maps. During the last half of the 1700s coastal areas of Lee County were a base of operations for bands of pirates raiding the cargo ships sailing to and from the port of New Orleans.
Florida became a US Territory in 1821, and the ensuing wave of settlers asked for protection from the native Seminoles. Fort Myers was built along the Caloosahatchee River as one of the first bases of operations during the Seminole Indian Wars. Fort Myers was named in honor of Colonel Abraham C. Myers, the son-in-law of the commander of Fort Brooke in Tampa.
The fort was abandoned in 1858 and reoccupied by Federal troops from 1863-1865. The Southernmost battle of the Civil War, a skirmish between Northern and Southern troops occurred across the river in 1865 and is reenacted annually at the North Fort Myers Cracker Festival.
The fort itself was disassembled, and some of the wood used in construction of some of the first buildings in what would become downtown Fort Myers. No more than ten families lived in the original town when it was platted in 1876.
Herds of cattle were driven past the old fort grounds to Punta Rassa where they were lifted onto schooners and steamers using block and tackle, and shipped to Cuba. Cattle, farming, and logging were early mainstays in the Fort Myers area. Tomatoes, avocados, and castor beans were cultivated on Sanibel Island. Many pineapple plantations flourished inland along the river as settlers began to move away from the fort area.
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| Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier at Sunset |
By 1885 Fort Myers was bursting with pride and a bulging population of 349, the second largest town on Florida's Gulf Coast south of Cedar Key. That same year Thomas Alva Edison was cruising Florida's west coast and stopped to visit the village. Captivated with what he saw, Edison built his home and laboratory, Seminole Lodge, on the banks of the Caloosatchee River. He subsequently became Fort Myers' most famous resident and a strong force in its growth and development.
Edison's light burns a little brighter each year during the Edison Festival of Light, as the City of Fort Myers annually celebrates his February 11th birthday with two weeks of citywide events, culminated by the Grand Parade of Light. The celebration attracts thousands of visitors who view a colorful grand parade, join in street dances, and compete in contests ranging from fishing to shuffleboard. The King and Queen of Light area crowned at the coronation ball and reign at the Grand Parade of Light.
As Edison's enchantment with Fort Myers grew, he began to spend more time at Seminole Lodge and was often joined there by his friend, Henry Ford. The two distinguished inventors would sometimes go off on a camping trip or a drive to Estero.
Ford met Edison at a meeting in New York and, with Edison's encouragement, quit his job and turned his full attention to his dream of building a gasoline driven automobile.
By 1903 Ford's dream had come true and he had become so famous that people were asking to put money into his company. The Ford Motor Company was officially started that year with $28,000 cash, but it took the introduction of the Model-T in 1907 to make the company a financial success. By 1914 the first Ford Car Dealership was opened in Fort Myers.
Ford shared Edison's enthusiasm for Fort Myers, eventually purchasing the property adjoining his friend's estate and became a frequent winter visitor as long as Edison lived.
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| Colorful Florida Homes |
During the building boom between 1898 and the 1920's, torrents of winter visitors from the north flocked to Florida seeking their fortunes in land investments.
The opening of the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) linked Fort Myers to Tampa and Miami, adding more to the growth of the Big Boom in the 1920s. Growth radiated in all directions until the 1930s.
Two devastating hurricanes in 1921 & 1926, combined with poor publicity and inadequate planning brought a collapse in Florida's boom time. Fort Myers suffered along with the rest of the nation during the Great Depression. Still, there was moderate progress as some of the more elegant buildings in Fort Myers were built during the 1930s.
In the early 1940s, every county in Florida had air bases due to the advantageous flying weather. The Fort Myers area had Bucking ham and Page Fields, and the city was home to thousands of servicemen, many of whom returned and became permanent residents.
In the years since World War II, the city has grown along with Lee County and the rest of Southwest Florida. Commercial and residential growth has pushed development in all directions to create Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Lehigh, as well as adding to the coastal settlements of Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island, Sanibel and Captiva Islands, and Bonita Springs.
Fortunately, the older downtown area and the City of Fort Myers historic districts have retained much of their charm, and proper preservation measures are in place to ensure that charm will be treasured for many generations to come.
Visiting Fort Myers
Whilst you are vacationing in Southwest Florida you may want to rent a car, hop in a taxi, or use the local public transport. There are numerous car rental companies in and around Fort Myers, or you can rent a car from Southwest Florida International Airport.
LeeTran provides public transportation between 5:00am and 9:45pm on Monday through Saturday, and a limited service on Sundays. It has 17 fixed bus routes and also provides a “Park and Ride" trolley service to and from area beaches.
Southwest Florida International Airport is located southeast of the City of Fort Myers, roughly three miles west of I-75 (exit 131).
Activities
There's always something to do in the Fort Myers area! We have many attractions and activities to make your stay exciting and interesting. There are activities for ALL ages! Golfing, skateboarding, ice-skating, roller-skating, nature walks, a hands-on museum, water park, planetarium, and much more for the family!
Or if you want to just put your feet up and take it easy, some of the most beautiful beaches and resort hotels in the world are within a few miles of downtown Fort Myers.
After taking in the beautiful sunset you can enjoy the Fort Myers nightlife, with its world class performing arts, many restaurants and watering holes!
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