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| fort myers florida history: Hidden History of Fort Myers Cynthia A. Williams, 2017 Hidden stories behind the growth of Fort Myers, Florida. |
| fort myers florida history: Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer, 1982-12-01 Historical record of Southwest Florida and Lee County. |
| fort myers florida history: The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer, 1949 |
| fort myers florida history: Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar, 2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and Lee County, Florida, paired with histories of the local companies. |
| fort myers florida history: History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell, 1980 |
| fort myers florida history: Thomas Edison Irvin D. Solomon, 2001 Thomas Edison's love affair with the growing frontier town of Fort Myers, Florida is a little-known, but intriguing part of the Edison legacy. The man whose inventions changed the world and defined the future course of American life first visited the young and still untamed town in 1885, purchasing a winter residence known as Seminole Lodge that he and his family would use until his death in 1931. His Fort Myers home subsequently provided the setting for the many notables who would visit Edison, including automobile magnate Henry Ford, rubber baron Harvey S. Firestone, and writer and naturalist John Burroughs. Today, the Edisons' mutual bonds with the community are perhaps the defining feature of Fort Myers' history. The city has named numerous streets and public venues, its community college, a mile-long bridge, and its major shopping mall after Edison, and Fort Myers has recognized the annual Edison Festival of Light and Pageant as its premier social and winter events. Because of Edison's long association with Southwest Florida, his memory and persona hold an unparalleled significance for the entire region. |
| fort myers florida history: HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida HowExpert, Haleigh Sowder, 2023-03-16 If you want to learn about the history, culture, attractions, food, and fun in Fort Myers, Florida, then check out HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida. If you’re planning a trip to the coastal city of Fort Myers, FL, then you’ll definitely want to have HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida, by your side. This comprehensive guide is packed with over 101 tips on everything from traveling and activities to attractions, accommodations, food, and more. This guide starts by giving you an overview of Fort Myers’ history, culture, what to do, where to eat, and even the best times to visit. With this information, you’ll be able to plan your trip with ease and confidence. The book then dives into the many activities and attractions available in Fort Myers, including outdoor adventures, water sports, cultural experiences, and shopping. This guide also includes tips on how to save money on popular activities and attractions. Accommodations are a crucial aspect of any trip, and this guide has you covered with a range of options to suit your needs and budget, from luxury resorts to budget-friendly hotels. HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida also provides advice on how to find the best deals on accommodations and how to choose the perfect location for your stay. Of course, no trip to Fort Myers would be complete without sampling the local cuisine. You’ll find that this guide recommends the best restaurants, cafes, and bars in the city, including options for seafood, barbecue, and international cuisine. In addition to practical advice and recommendations, this guide includes a bunch of insider tips where you’ll discover hidden gems that most tourists miss, allowing you to experience Fort Myers like a local. HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida, is an indispensable resource for anyone planning a trip to this sunny city. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing vacation or an action-packed adventure, this guide will help you make the most of your Fort Myers experience. So why wait? Grab your copy today and get ready to explore all this beautiful city has to offer! Check out HowExpert Guide to Fort Myers, Florida to learn about the history, culture, attractions, food, and fun in Fort Myers, Florida. About the Author Meet Haleigh Sowder, a lifestyle and travel blogger known for her talent in storytelling and content creation. Over the past few years, she has been traveling the United States in a self-converted skoolie, exploring different cultures and ways of life across the country. As a skilled writer, photographer, and videographer, Haleigh has a talent for capturing the essence of each destination she visits. Through her work, she transports readers and viewers to each location, allowing them to experience the beauty and diversity of the world. Haleigh is committed to inspiring others to pursue their passions and embrace new experiences. She believes that travel is not just about the destination but also the journey and that everyone can benefit from experiencing different cultures and lifestyles. Through her writing and content creation, Haleigh hopes to encourage others to live life to the fullest and explore the world around them. HowExpert publishes quick how to guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts. |
| fort myers florida history: Fort Myers Gerri Reaves, 2008-05 In these photographs, the neighborhood service station, the drugstore soda fountain, and steamboat mail-delivery live on. Nineteenth-century storefronts stand amid condo towers. Cattle stroll to market, and post-World War II newcomers transform the paradise of Gilded Age millionaires and tin-can tourists. Fort Myers continues to reinvent itself, maintaining the treasures of its richly storied past. |
| fort myers florida history: Legendary Locals of Fort Myers Gerri Reaves, 2012 A pictorial history of Fort Myers as exemplified by its citizens and their accomplishments. |
| fort myers florida history: Fort Myers Gregg M. Turner, Stan Mulford, 2001-02-01 Located on the wide and beautiful Caloosahatchee River, just fifteen miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Myers, the fabled City of Palms, is known throughout the world for its tropical weather and many local attractions. Exotic flowers and shrubbery dot the city landscape, which today includes a revitalized downtown, inviting neighborhoods, endless shopping, and a breathtaking waterfront. Like many Florida communities, the origin of Fort Myers can be traced to the Seminole Indian wars of the 1800s. The fort itself-named for Lt. Col. Abraham Myers-was established in the frontier region to quell uprisings and help in the Indian Removal campaigns. It was later used by Union forces during the Civil War, was abandoned, and then reoccupied by courageous settlers who relied on the cattle business, and citrus and vegetable farming to sustain their families and their new town. As the years passed, Fort Myers grew and began to attract winter visitors, including such famous Americans as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, both of whom had homes in the area, as well as wealthy sportsmen eager to try their luck at tarpon fishing in nearby Gulf waters. When the railroad finally reached Fort Myers, tourists, transplants, retirees, and many more would discover the irresistible charms of one of Florida's newest gems. Located on the wide and beautiful Caloosahatchee River, just fifteen miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Myers, the fabled City of Palms, is known throughout the world for its tropical weather and many local attractions. Exotic flowers and shrubbery dot the city landscape, which today includes a revitalized downtown, inviting neighborhoods, endless shopping, and a breathtaking waterfront. Like many Florida communities, the origin of Fort Myers can be traced to the Seminole Indian wars of the 1800s. The fort itself-named for Lt. Col. Abraham Myers-was established in the frontier region to quell uprisings and help in the Indian Removal campaigns. It was later used by Union forces during the Civil War, was abandoned, and then reoccupied by courageous settlers who relied on the cattle business, and citrus and vegetable farming to sustain their families and their new town. As the years passed, Fort Myers grew and began to attract winter visitors, including such famous Americans as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, both of whom had homes in the area, as well as wealthy sportsmen eager to try their luck at tarpon fishing in nearby Gulf waters. When the railroad finally reached Fort Myers, tourists, transplants, retirees, and many more would discover the irresistible charms of one of Florida's newest gems. |
| fort myers florida history: Remembering Fort Myers Prudy Taylor Board, 2006 A collection of the author's articles on the City of Fort Myers, Florida. |
| fort myers florida history: River & Road Jared Beck, Pamela Miner, 2017 A fascinating tour of the historic neighborhoods along McGregor Boulevard, blending local history and documenting Fort Myers's architectural legacy with lavish photographs.--Gerri Reaves, author of Legendary Locals of Fort MyersWith its striking photographs and engaging stories of past and contemporary characters, this book captures the architectural and historical significance of houses in Fort Myers.--Linda Stevenson, principal architect, Stevenson Architects, Inc.Covers a unique historical precedent by using architecture as snapshots of time during Fort Myers's growth and development to show how it has become the dynamic and successful city it is today.--Guy W. Peterson, FAIA River & Road is a visual and narrative history of the architectural evolution and urban development of Southwest Florida as shown in Fort Myers, Florida. A top tourist destination to this day, the Gulf Coast city has been home to the winter estates of the rich and famous, including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and oil tycoon Ambrose McGregor. The city's famed McGregor Boulevard continues to draw visitors with its eclectic blend of houses and unique histories dating back to the nineteenth century. As the twentieth century dawned, the reputation of Fort Myers as a haven for health cures, business opportunities, and tarpon fishing lured adventurers and opportunists. Hundreds of attractive homes of varied styles were designed for millionaires and magnates during the boom of the Roaring Twenties and beyond, and today houses representing every significant architectural period--including the Spanish, Mediterranean, Italian Renaissance, Greek, and Colonial Revivals--line the roadway along the Caloosahatchee River. Jared Beck and Pamela Miner share stories about the creators and owners of these one-of-a-kind properties, accompanied by striking photographs. Historic places have been carefully preserved and creatively renovated according to the visions of their owners, and modern designers have been drawn to the neighborhood to build masterpieces of their own. These dream homes showcase the work of nationally renowned and local architects, including Henry Van Ryn, Gerrit de Gelleke, Nat Gaillard Walker, William Frizzell, Robert Matts, Bruce Gora, Kathryn Kelly, and Jeff Mudgett. With privileged access into many of the private residences, Beck and Miner unveil the historically and culturally vibrant neighborhoods at the heart of Fort Myer's past and present. Jared Beck is an urban planner with a focused background including urban redevelopment, historic preservation, and community development. Pamela Miner is a historian with experience in historic preservation, museums, and education and is the former curator of collections and interpretation for the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. |
| fort myers florida history: Fort Myers Beach Mary Kaye Stevens, 2012 The once sleepy barrier island labeled Estero Island on navigational charts was dubbed Fort Myers Beach in the early part of the 20th century by city folks who spent their weekends on its wide, sandy beaches. Centuries earlier, an abundance of fish and other seafood made the 6.5-mile-long island attractive to its earliest inhabitants, the Calusa, as well as explorers, fisherfolk, and a pirate or two. In the late 19th century, early homesteaders were lured by stories of free tillable soil in a balmy climate surrounded by warm waters and ankle-deep shells. When pink shrimp, labeled Pink Gold, were found in nearby waters, another influx of residents arrived. Today, the island is best known as an energetic resort community, but it retains the influence and charm of its remarkable past. |
| fort myers florida history: A Land Remembered Patrick D Smith, 2012-10-01 A Land Remembered has become Florida's favorite novel. Now this Student Edition in two volumes makes this rich, rugged story of the American pioneer spirit more accessible to young readers. Patrick Smith tells of three generations of the MacIveys, a Florida family battling the hardships of the frontier. The story opens in 1858, when Tobias and Emma MacIvey arrive in the Florida wilderness with their son, Zech, to start a new life, and ends in 1968 with Solomon MacIvey, who realizes that his wealth has not been worth the cost to the land. Between is a sweeping story rich in Florida history with a cast of memorable characters who battle wild animals, rustlers, Confederate deserters, mosquitoes, starvation, hurricanes, and freezes to carve a kingdom out of the Florida swamp. In this volume, meet young Zech MacIvey, who learns to ride like the wind through the Florida scrub on Ishmael, his marshtackie horse, his dogs, Nip and Tuck, at this side. His parents, Tobias and Emma, scratch a living from the land, gathering wild cows from the swamp and herding them across the state to market. Zech learns the ways of the land from the Seminoles, with whom his life becomes entwined as he grows into manhood. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series |
| fort myers florida history: History of Florida Harry Gardner Cutler, 1923 |
| fort myers florida history: Uncommon Friends James Draper Newton, 1987 Newton engagingly recalls a lifetime of friendship with five giants of the twentieth century. Foreword by Anne Morrow Lindbergh; Index; photographs. |
| fort myers florida history: A Short History of Florida Railroads Gregg Turner, 2003 Florida's railroad heritage began in the 1830s amidst Native American upheaval and territorial colonization. Surpassing waterways as the primary mode of transport, the Iron Horse linked practically every town and city, carried tourists and locals, and ably conveyed the wealth of Florida's mines, factories, forests, groves, and farms. Nearly 175 years later, railroads still remain a dependable source of transport within the Sunshine State. |
| fort myers florida history: Fourth Down in Dunbar David A. Dorsey, 2014 Fourth Down in Dunbar tells the story of how one community, plagued by drugs and violence, where many children are fatherless, gives rise to an incredible number of stellar youth athletes. Using [Deion] Sanders as the centerpiece of the story, David Dorsey explores Dunbar's history to show how the same drug culture that ruined so many promising futures also serves as motivation for football success-- |
| fort myers florida history: Caribbean Rim Randy Wayne White, 2018-03-13 Murder, sunken treasure, and pirates both ancient and modern send Doc Ford on a nightmare quest in this New York Times bestseller in Randy Wayne White's thrilling series. Marine biologist Doc Ford has been known to help his friends out of jams occasionally, but he's never faced a situation like this. His old pal Carl Fitzpatrick has been chasing sunken wrecks most of his life, but now he's run afoul of the Florida Division of Historical Resources. Its director, Leonard Nickelby, despises amateur archaeologists, which is bad enough, but now he and his young assistant have disappeared--along with Fitzpatrick's impounded cache of rare Spanish coins and the list of uncharted wreck sites Fitz spent decades putting together. Some of Fitz's own explorations have been a little...dicey, so he can't go to the authorities. Doc is his only hope. But greed makes people do terrible things: rob, cheat, even kill. With stakes this high, there's no way the thieves will go quietly--and Doc's just put himself in their crosshairs. |
| fort myers florida history: Lies that Came True Eileen Bernard, 1983 |
| fort myers florida history: Untold Story Now Comes Alive A. Waldo Farabee, 2006 This book is the story about the birth and history of the earliest churches in a given area of Southwest Florida - Fort Myers and Lee County! |
| fort myers florida history: Buddhaghosa: Papa~ncasüdanī. Majjhima nikāya aṭuvāva , 1962 |
| fort myers florida history: Lords of Chaos Michael Moynihan, Didrik Soderlind, Didrik Søderlind, 2003 * * * * * *! The most incredible story in the history of music a?| a heavyweight book.-Kerrang! An unusual combination of true crime journalism, rock and roll reporting and underground obsessiveness, Lords of Chaos turns into one of the more fascinating reads in a long time.-Denver Post A narrative feature film based on this award-winning book has just gone into production. |
| fort myers florida history: Uncle Al Capone Deirdre Marie Capone, 2010-10-27 This is the revised edition, March 2015. The untold story from inside his family. Dramatic, unyielding, and provocative, Uncle Al Capone by Deirdre Marie Capone, Al Capone's grandniece, is a fascinating memoir and engaging biography. This moving, highly readable portrait of the Capone family and its mob trade examines what it has meant to survive the storied legacy of the family's forbearers. As Capone traces the arc of regret and what fuels the Capone myth, she finds redemption and a way to coexist with her legacy. In seventeen chapters with titles like The Making of the Mafioso, Trading the Chicago Outfit for the Chicago Cubs, and The Saint Valentine's Day Truth, Capone outlines organized crime in Chicago and offers vignettes of American history during the early and mid-twentieth century. Using years of research and exhaustive interviews with her aunts, uncles, and cousins, she weaves an engaging anecdotal narrative of what it meant to be a Capone, what it meant to lose her father to suicide, and what it meant to have a mother who lived in constant fear. She offers compelling evidence that Al Capone was specifically targeted for prosecution by law enforcement agencies assisted by the media, which made gross exaggerations of her uncle's exploits and fueled a phenomenon of half-truths and utter falsehoods. From the family's roots in Angri, Italy to the author's ongoing investigations today, this debut offers a comprehensive and moving portrait of an iconic American family and one woman's efforts to make peace with the past. |
| fort myers florida history: Buckingham Army Air Field Chris Wadsworth, Matt Johnson, Southwest Florida Museum of History, 2010 For most people in Southwest Florida, the name Buckingham is just one more dot on a map--a rural area east of U.S. Interstate 75. But for a few years, it was so much more. Starting in 1942, it was the site of the Buckingham Army Air Field--home to some 16,000 men and women supporting the United States' World War II efforts. Airplanes roared in the skies over Lee County and reflected off the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico as tens of thousands of young men trained as aerial gunners. Learning to target and bring down enemy aircraft with their guns was critical to America's success in both the European and Pacific theaters. On the ground, trucks rumbled across the mammoth base, soldiers marched in review under the hot Florida sun, and an entire town sprang up on what was once swampland. Barracks were built, along with stores, nightclubs, churches, and even a hospital with its own baby ward. Today the memories of Buckingham Army Air Field can be found hiding in plain sight, including a working airport that was once the heart of the base. |
| fort myers florida history: Historic Hurricanes of Fort Myers Thomas P. Hall, 2023-09-30 On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian struck Fort Myers, Florida, ravaging Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, Captiva, Matlacha and Pine Islands. Ian was just the latest in a series of storms that have influenced how the region has developed since the mid-1800s. In fact, it was an 1841 hurricane that followed roughly the same track as Ian that caused the Army to move its central supply depot to Fort Myers’ present-day location, a site presumably safe from impacts such as storm surge, hurricane force winds and inland flooding. That was not true then. It is not true now. Of all the towns and cities that dot the coast of the United States from the Rio Grande to Eastport, Maine, the City of Fort Myers has the sixth most homes and fourth most multi-family dwellings at risk for storm surge in the entire nation. With more than 400 miles of canals encompassing 520 square miles, neighboring Cape Coral is America’s most vulnerable city when it comes to flooding produced by tropical systems. The severity of these impacts and the associated loss of life and property damage are expected to increase in the future due to sea level rise, climate change and ongoing development of single family, multi-family and commercial properties in the shallow flood plains that drain the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries. With Historic Hurricanes of Fort Myers, local historian Tom Hall blends a meticulously researched analysis of where and why Fort Myers is uniquely subject to storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding with old-time stories of how the region’s early pioneers weathered storms as they built a town and an economy based on cattle exports to Cuba. For the historian at heart, Historic Hurricanes of Fort Myers transports readers to a time when rugged, enterprising men and women assayed to build a town in the footprint of an old Seminole and Civil War fort on the southern bank of the Caloosahatchee River. It chronicles the role played by iconic cattlemen like Jake Summerlin and Capt. Francis Asbury Hendry and the singular importance of the cattle industry in decades following the end of the Civil War. For residents and property owners, this book provides a street-specific road map that delineates each neighborhood’s risk for mild to catastrophic damage from storm surge, hurricane force winds and freshwater flooding. It considers how these impacts are likely to worsen in a wetter, hotter climate. And with input from WINK TV Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt, Historic Hurricanes of Fort Myers provides useful tips and concrete recommendations for how to survive a storm … and when and why to evacuate in advance of one. Readers will glean a greater appreciation of the factors that led to the settlement of this part of Florida. But given the region’s unique risk for storm impacts in a changing climate, Historic Hurricanes of Fort Myers serves as the quintessential tropical cyclone survival guide. |
| fort myers florida history: History of Florida Harry Gardner Cutler, 1923 |
| fort myers florida history: Blockaders, Refugees & Contrabands George E. Buker, 1993 Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands chronicles the role of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron in creating civil strife and warfare along the west coast of Florida during the Civil War. This history illuminates the Squadron's impact on Florida - the Confederate state most susceptible to actions by the U.S. Navy - and the far-reaching effects of its activities on the outcome of the War. Initially the East Gulf Blockading Squadron gave no indication that, with its allies - Florida's refugees and contrabands (escaped slaves) - it would create a civil war within Florida. When the Squadron raided the mainland it found sympathizers ashore who helped the sailors cut out blockade-runners, harass the enemy, and destroy coastal salt works. As the number of refugees and contrabands increased they became a source of manpower for the Squadron. After Confederate conscripts and army deserters fled to the impenetrable swamps of Florida's Gulf Coast, they turned to the Squadron for succor and aid. In time the blockaders, refugees, and contrabands joined forces to participate in fluid partisan combat actions. When Federal control of the Mississippi River cut the South's supply of western beef, the Confederacy turned to south Florida. The Union army enlisted the Squadron's refugees into the U.S. Second Florida Cavalry to keep the beef from rebel armies. This action elevated the conflict from guerrilla to conventional war. Additionally, the Second Infantry Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops, fought beside the blockaders and refugees, freeing and recruiting contrabands. All blockading squadrons had contacts with refugees and contrabands, but only the East Gulf Blockading Squadron utilized these allies to fostera civil war. The subsequent salt and cattle raids struck blows that were felt beyond the state and had a devastating impact on the balance of the Confederacy and on the ultimate course of the Civil War. |
| fort myers florida history: Red Grass River James Carlos Blake, 2009-10-13 James Carlos Blake is a masterful chronicler of the restless, outcast, the lawless, and the lonelyheart. His previous novel, In the Rogue Blood, was awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction. Now he has written a powerful and rousing historical saga of family loyalties, blood feuds, and betrayed friendships; of bank robberies and bootlegging; and of a passionate love as wild at heart as the Everglades. It is the story of sworn enemies: John Ashley, a criminal and folk hero, the brightest star in a family destined to become the most notorious in south Florida; and Bobby Baker, a lawman born of lawmen, a violent, hard-hearted man driven by the searing memory of past affronts and the enduring hatreds the engendered. Ashley and Maker will clash many times over many decades. And as the twentieth century encroaches on their world—and the wildlands give grudging way to the rising boomtown of Miami—a feral, sensual mating will place one man in gravest peril...while his adversary contrives a dark, personal vengeance that could leave countless lives—his own included—in ruin. |
| fort myers florida history: Century, a People's History of Charlotte County: A James Abraham, 2021-05-06 History is full of eddies and currents, but certain themes emerge that give a community clues to both its future and its past. For example, Charlotte County was born in the cockpit of rapid social change, propelled from the Jazz Age into the Great Depression. Communities like Englewood or Cleveland with dreams of becoming metropolises lost their city charters when the music stopped and the well ran dry. Boom and bust. The cycle continued as a construction boom transformed the county during the second half of the 20th century before the major developer of Port Charlotte went belly up.Vernon Peeples, the late, great preeminent historian of Punta Gorda, told me how city founder Isaac Trabue brought the railroad to what was then called Trabue. Soon the railroad backed a play by Trabue's enemies to swallow up his town and give it the name we know today. Now, if Allegiant Airlines can open Sunseeker's doors, we'll see a second revolution spawned by the transportation industry. And that's no coincidence. Punta Gorda was once the southernmost point of the entire North American railroad system, with shipping links south and west to Cuba and New Orleans. Allegiant has capitalized on our proximity to the Midwest and our beckoning breezes. The railroad built the legendary Punta Gorda Hotel, the 19th century version of destination resort travel. Allegiant's Sunseeker may be the 21st century version of that iconic job generator. Geography is our destiny.Now, as we try to make a new society in the face of the deadliest pandemic to strike our community, is not the time to hide our voices. Now is the time to tell our stories. Here is the place to celebrate the people who made Charlotte County's first century |
| fort myers florida history: When Steamboats Reigned in Florida Bob Bass, 2008 When Robert Fulton installed a steam engine in the side wheel boat North River Steamboat in 1807, the world changed forever. With this innovation, riversthe natural transportation arteries of the South - were opened as routes to transport travelers and goods to previously inaccessible areas. Today, the steamboat triggers romantic images of adventures on the Mississippi taken from Mark Twain. But the opening of the major rivers in Florida to steamboat navigation was vital to the state's development. This history brings together the author's unique experiences traveling Florida's steamboat routes with the historical record of the innovations and explorations that led to the steamboat's reign as the preferred mode of transport before the dawn of the twentieth century.--BOOK JACKET. |
| fort myers florida history: Oak and Ivy Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1893 |
| fort myers florida history: Edison and Ford in Florida Mike Cosden, Brent Newman and Chris Pendleton for the Thomas Edison & Henry Ford Winter Estates, 2015 A pictorial of the winter estates of Edison and Ford in Fort Myers, Florida. |
| fort myers florida history: Backroads of Paradise Cathy Salustri, 2017-07-30 In the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project paid Stetson Kennedy and Zora Neale Hurston, along with other lesser-known writers, to create driving tours of Florida. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State. In Backroads of Paradise, Cathy Salustri retraces the routes these writers traveled, bringing a modern eye to the historic tours. |
| fort myers florida history: Fort Myers in Vintage Postcards Gregg Turner, 2005-05-25 Fort Myers lies on the beautiful, wide Caloosahatchee River. Tropical flowers and palm trees dot the landscape, which today boasts a revitalized downtown, historic neighborhoods, shopping, and a breathtaking waterfront. The fort itself, named for Lt. Col. Abraham Myers, was established to quell uprisings and help the Indian Removal campaigns. It was later used by Union forces in the Civil War, abandoned, and then reoccupied by courageous settlers who relied on the cattle business and farming to sustain families and the community. In the late 1800s, Fort Myers began to attract famous winter residents, such as electrician Thomas Edison, as well as wealthy sportsmen trying their luck at tarpon fishing. When the iron horse finally arrived in 1904, Fort Myers experienced an economic transformation, and her days as a frontier cow town were numbered. |
| fort myers florida history: A Journey into Florida Railroad History Gregg M. Turner, 2012-03-25 It is safe to say that without railroads, Florida wouldn't be what it is today. Railroads connected the state's important cities and towns, conquered the peninsula's vast and seemingly impenetrable interior, ushered in untold numbers of settlers and tourists, and conveyed to market--faster than any previous means of transportation--the myriad products of Florida's mines, forests, factories, farms, and groves. Gregg Turner traces the long, slow development of Florida railroads, from the first tentative lines in the 1830s, through the boom of the 1880s, to the maturity of the railroad system in the 1920s. At the end of that decade nearly 6,000 miles of labyrinthine track covered the state. Turner also examines the decline of the industry, as the automobile rose to prominence in American culture and lines were abandoned or sold for hiking trails and green spaces. Meticulously researched and richly illustrated--including many never-before-published images--A Journey into Florida Railroad History is a comprehensive, authoritative history of the subject. Written by one of the nation's foremost authorities on Florida railroads, it explores all the key players and companies, and every significant period of development. This engaging and lively story will be savored and enjoyed by generations to come. |
| fort myers florida history: Strong Towns Charles L. Marohn, Jr., 2019-10-01 A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live. |
| fort myers florida history: The Swamp Peddlers Jason Vuic, 2021-05-11 Florida has long been a beacon for retirees, but for many, the American dream of owning a home there was a fantasy. That changed in the 1950s, when the so-called installment land sales industry hawked billions of dollars of Florida residential property, sight unseen, to retiring northerners. For only $10 down and $10 a month, working-class pensioners could buy a piece of the Florida dream: a graded home site that would be waiting for them in a planned community when they were ready to build. The result was Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Deltona, Port Charlotte, Palm Coast, and Spring Hill, among many others—sprawling communities with no downtowns, little industry, and millions of residential lots. In The Swamp Peddlers, Jason Vuic tells the raucous tale of the sale of residential lots in postwar Florida. Initially selling cheap homes to retirees with disposable income, by the mid-1950s developers realized that they could make more money selling parcels of land on installment to their customers. These swamp peddlers completely transformed the landscape and demographics of Florida, devastating the state environmentally by felling forests, draining wetlands, digging canals, and chopping up at least one million acres into grid-like subdivisions crisscrossed by thousands of miles of roads. Generations of northerners moved to Florida cheaply, but at a huge price: high-pressure sales tactics begat fraud; poor urban planning begat sprawl; poorly-regulated development begat environmental destruction, culminating in the perfect storm of the 21st-century subprime mortgage crisis. |
| fort myers florida history: Deadball David B. Stinson, 2011 Former minor-league baseball player Byron Bennett has a deep and spiritual connection to the game of baseball and its history. He sees things in a way others cannot and believes in things others would not. He thinks the old men working the menial jobs in the dienrs, dives, and graveyards he frequents are not what they seem. They try to fit in, go unnoticed, but Byron suspects thay are not your typical second-career workign stiffs--Page 4 of cover. |
| fort myers florida history: Florida Civil War Heritage Trail , 2011 Includes a background essay on the history of the Civil War in Florida, a timeline of events, 31 sidebars on important Florida topics, issues and individuals of the period, and a selected bibliography. It also includes information on over 200 battlefields, fortifications, buildings, cemeteries, museum exhibits, monuments, historical markers, and other sites in Florida with direct links to the Civil War--[p. 2] of cover. |
HISTORIC EVENTS TIMELINE: Florida, Southwest Florida, and …
1898 Royal Palm Hotel opens and Fort Myers is nationally known as a winter resort. 1901 Edison begins spending winters in Ft. Myers. 1901 William Sherman Jennings begins term as governor.
The Battle of Fort Myers - University of South Florida
From Karl Grismer’s History of Fort Myers. By the fall of 1864, southern authorities and sympathizers had organized these men into a unique force designed to protect cattle herds, …
historic sites of dunbar – appendix - Spikowski
of Fort Myers. When "Jim Crow" laws segregated the City of Fort Myers, though separate, the Dunbar community thrived. The area had a strong sense of community. After desegregation …
The History of Hurricanes in Southwest Florida - FEMA.gov
Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, and Sarasota are three major cities in Flori- da that have been affected or directly hit by past hurricanes that made landfall in the vicinity of Hurricane Charley’s landfall.
History Of Fort Myers Florida (book) - archive.ncarb.org
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
1926 Hurricane Destroys Southwest Florida - National Weather …
Fort Myers, FL experienced a storm surge of 4 to 6 feet above normal. The storm flooded the entire island of Sanibel with salt water, and forced almost half of the island's residents to relocate.
The Integration of Schools in Lee County, Florida - FLVC
Jim Crow influenced the integration of schools into the 1970s. This history of Fort Myers reminds Floridians of how connected SWFL was with the rest of the state and how deeply intertwined …
FLORIDA DEPARTMENr OF STATE - Lee County Southwest …
history of Terry Park in Fort Myers. I have completed my research into the history of Hall of Famers playing at Terry Park, and came up with a list of 81 players.
A SELF GUIDED TOUR OF THE OLD LEE COUNTY …
Enclosed by three Fort Myers city streets and the Lee County Administration Office Building, the grounds today provide an appropriate setting for citizens to visit and enjoy the majestic Old …
History of Local Sales Tax and Current Rates - Florida …
This document provides a history of the locally-imposed county tax rates. For more information, call the Department's Taxpayer Services at 850-488-6800, Monday through Friday, excluding …
History Of Fort Myers - content.localfirstbank.com
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
SS.8.A.4.4: Discuss the impact of westward expansion
these people came to Florida in search of freedom. The blue triangles represent a few of the known Black Seminole villages, including Suwannee Old Town, Piliklakaha northeast of Tampa, and …
History Of Fort Myers Florida (Download Only)
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
A Brief Florida Real Estate History - Map of the Week
swampland and other towns such as Ancolote, Fort Myers, and Tarpon Springs were also developed during the 1880s boom. The arrival of Disston’s huge dredges in the
45TH ANNIVERSARY OF SNOW IN SOUTH FLORIDA
was along a Fort Myers to Fort Pierce line in February 1899. The snow came on the heels of a strong arctic cold front which moved rapidly down the Florida peninsula on gusty northwest winds of …
and Cultural History of Florida, 1950-2000
Florida's Big Bang represents an astonishing and complex story, a state swelling from 2.7 million inhabitants in 1950 to 16 million only fifty years later. Demographically, Florida's trans-formation …
History Of Fort Myers (Download Only) - smtp.casro.org
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
40th Anniversary of Snow in South Florida - National Weather …
Although snow in Florida is not as rare as it is believed to be, the farthest south snow had been previously observed was along a Fort Myers to Fort Pierce line in February 1899. The snow came …
Temperatures ≤ 32°F in Fort Myers, Florida - National Weather …
Note: Consistent records began in Fort Myers on January 1, 1902.
HISTORIC EVENTS TIMELINE: Florida, Southwest Florida, and …
1898 Royal Palm Hotel opens and Fort Myers is nationally known as a winter resort. 1901 Edison begins spending winters in Ft. Myers. 1901 William Sherman Jennings begins term as governor.
The Battle of Fort Myers - University of South Florida
From Karl Grismer’s History of Fort Myers. By the fall of 1864, southern authorities and sympathizers had organized these men into a unique force designed to protect cattle herds, …
historic sites of dunbar – appendix - Spikowski
of Fort Myers. When "Jim Crow" laws segregated the City of Fort Myers, though separate, the Dunbar community thrived. The area had a strong sense of community. After desegregation …
The History of Hurricanes in Southwest Florida - FEMA.gov
Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, and Sarasota are three major cities in Flori- da that have been affected or directly hit by past hurricanes that made landfall in the vicinity of Hurricane Charley’s landfall.
Exploring how SW Florida has reshaped its landscape into a
History of Fort Myers During the building boom between 1898 and the 1920s, winter visitors from the north flocked to Florida seeking their fortunes in land investments. The opening of the …
History Of Fort Myers Florida (book) - archive.ncarb.org
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
1926 Hurricane Destroys Southwest Florida - National …
Fort Myers, FL experienced a storm surge of 4 to 6 feet above normal. The storm flooded the entire island of Sanibel with salt water, and forced almost half of the island's residents to relocate.
The Integration of Schools in Lee County, Florida - FLVC
Jim Crow influenced the integration of schools into the 1970s. This history of Fort Myers reminds Floridians of how connected SWFL was with the rest of the state and how deeply intertwined …
FLORIDA DEPARTMENr OF STATE - Lee County Southwest …
history of Terry Park in Fort Myers. I have completed my research into the history of Hall of Famers playing at Terry Park, and came up with a list of 81 players.
A SELF GUIDED TOUR OF THE OLD LEE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Enclosed by three Fort Myers city streets and the Lee County Administration Office Building, the grounds today provide an appropriate setting for citizens to visit and enjoy the majestic Old …
History of Local Sales Tax and Current Rates - Florida …
This document provides a history of the locally-imposed county tax rates. For more information, call the Department's Taxpayer Services at 850-488-6800, Monday through Friday, excluding …
History Of Fort Myers - content.localfirstbank.com
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
SS.8.A.4.4: Discuss the impact of westward expansion
these people came to Florida in search of freedom. The blue triangles represent a few of the known Black Seminole villages, including Suwannee Old Town, Piliklakaha northeast of …
History Of Fort Myers Florida (Download Only)
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
A Brief Florida Real Estate History - Map of the Week
swampland and other towns such as Ancolote, Fort Myers, and Tarpon Springs were also developed during the 1880s boom. The arrival of Disston’s huge dredges in the
45TH ANNIVERSARY OF SNOW IN SOUTH FLORIDA
was along a Fort Myers to Fort Pierce line in February 1899. The snow came on the heels of a strong arctic cold front which moved rapidly down the Florida peninsula on gusty northwest …
and Cultural History of Florida, 1950-2000
Florida's Big Bang represents an astonishing and complex story, a state swelling from 2.7 million inhabitants in 1950 to 16 million only fifty years later. Demographically, Florida's trans …
History Of Fort Myers (Download Only) - smtp.casro.org
History of Fort Myers Beach, Florida Rolfe F. Schell,1980 The Story of Fort Myers Karl Hiram Grismer,1949 Historic Lee County Pamela Sustar,2008 An illustrated history of Fort Myers and …
40th Anniversary of Snow in South Florida - National …
Although snow in Florida is not as rare as it is believed to be, the farthest south snow had been previously observed was along a Fort Myers to Fort Pierce line in February 1899. The snow …
Temperatures ≤ 32°F in Fort Myers, Florida - National …
Note: Consistent records began in Fort Myers on January 1, 1902.
