History Of Fort Myers

Located on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, the Florida city of Fort Myers is one of the state’s oldest cities, with archaeological evidence suggesting the presence of Native American tribes here for thousands of years. Today, Fort Myers is an eclectic mix of old and new, retaining a proud sense of its history while playing home to a youthful population and constantly undergoing the kind of development that provides it with an atmosphere of energy and vibrancy.

The first inhabitants

The Calusa Indians are popularly considered the city’s first residents, although recent studies are now beginning to suggest otherwise.  The Calusa are widely known for establishing settlements during the 18th century and creating mounds along the south side of the river, crafted from a mixture of earth and shell. Sometime later, the Seminole Indians arrived and set up camp, sharing the geographical benefits of the area with the Calusa.

The 18th century also saw the arrival of some questionable characters to the area, with the likes of scoundrels such as Calico Jack, Jean La Fitte, Bru Baker and Black Caesar making use of the countless bays and estuaries to hide while conducting their notorious criminal activities. The infamous pirate, known as Caspar, is believed to have set up his headquarters on Gasparilla Island, which is now better known as Boca Grande, in order to plunder the gold laden ships from Spain that sailed along this route.

The nineteenth century onwards

However, while significant, these details played very little part in the real development of the city as we know it today. It was the arrival of the prolific inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, to the area in 1885 that was to be a chief catalyst in the development of Fort Myers. Edison stopped in the area on vacation during a bout of ill health and was so struck by the beauty and peacefulness of his surroundings that he purchased some real estate and decided to make it his winter home. The subsequent arrivals of Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs also brought prominence to the area. The legacy of Edison is still widely acknowledged in Fort Myers today, with his winter home being one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions.