Fort Myers
Nestled alongside the Caloosahatchee River in Southwest Florida, Fort Myers was founded in 1866 by Captain Manual Gonzalez. Fort Myers, which was named after Brevet Colonel Abraham Myers who was a quartermaster in the U.S. Army, is one of the oldest communities in the State of Florida. Because of its mild winters, attractive lifestyle, and outstanding transportation infrastructure, greater Fort Myers has experienced tremendous growth. A large portion of it has come since I-75 was extended to southwest Florida in the 1980s. The City of Fort Myers composes a relatively small portion of Lee County that is commonly referred to as Fort Myers. The City of Fort Myers is bordered to the north by the Caloosahatchee River and is about 40 square miles in size. As of 2019, there were approximately 87,000 residents in the city. The population of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers MSA in 2019 was over 770,000.
Today greater Fort Myers is the economic and cultural center of Lee County. The area has grown dramatically since the early 1900’s and continues to attract residents from northern states as well as other portions of Florida. Fort Myers has retained its small-town heritage though, with a charming downtown lined with shops and restaurants. Museums, parades, festivals, theaters, parks, historical sites and art galleries pepper the metro area and its social calendar.
In the 1880’s Thomas Edison was touring the gulf coast of Florida and decided to buy a 13 acre parcel along the Caloosahatchee River to build a winter home and laboratory. The home was named “Seminole Lodge” and became Edison’s winter residence for a large portion of his life. Edison left a large impact on Fort Myers; many buildings and organizations in the community are named after him. Edison is responsible for planting Royal Palm trees along McGregor Boulevard which resulted in the city becoming known as the “City of Palms.” In the early 1900’s Henry Ford bought a home next door to Edison and the two often spent the winter months together in Fort Myers. Their homes and Edison’s lab and gardens are now open to the public as a museum.
There are many housing types in greater Fort Myers. Single family residences, garden style condos, high rise condos, townhomes, and villas are all prevalent. Many of the newer housing developments are gated and have upscale amenities including resort style pools, fitness centers, tennis courts, and golf courses.
