Lee County, Florida: Difference between revisions

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| pop = 760822<ref name="2020census">{{cite web |title=Quickfacts Lee County |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/leecountyflorida |url-status=live |website=U.S. Census Bureau |date=July 1, 2021 |access-date=May 29, 2022}}</ref>

'''Lee County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in [[southwestern Florida]], United States, on the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]]. As of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in the state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lee County, Florida |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/leecountyflorida |access-date=2023-04-April 12, 2023 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Fort Myers, Florida|Fort Myers]], with a population of 86,395 as of the 2020 census,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile/Fort_Myers_city,_Florida?g=1600000US1224125 |access-date=2022-09-September 29, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> and the largest city is [[Cape Coral, Florida|Cape Coral]], with an estimated 2020 population of 194,016.

The county comprises the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area ([[Metropolitan statistical area|MSA]]), which, along with the [[Naples, Florida|Naples]]-[[Marco Island, Florida|Marco Island]] ([[Collier County, Florida|Collier County]]) MSA and the [[Clewiston, Florida|Clewiston]] ([[Hendry County, Florida|Hendry County]], [[Glades County, Florida|Glades County]]) Micropolitan Statistical Area ([[Micropolitan statistical area|μSA]]), is included in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples Combined Statistical Area ([[Combined statistical area|CSA]]).<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Guidance on the Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=Executive Office of the President |pages=47, 129}}</ref>

Lee County was established in 1887 from [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]].<ref name="Florida Historical Society">{{cite book |title=Publications of the Florida Historical Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WZQ-AAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA32 |publisher=Florida Historical Society |year=1908 |page=32}}</ref> Fort Myers is the county seat and a center of tourism in Southwest Florida. It is about {{convert|120|mi|km}} south of [[Tampa]] at the meeting point of the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and the [[Caloosahatchee River]].<ref name="Colihan">[http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/1/2006_1_25.shtml Jane Colihan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601231825/http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/1/2006_1_25.shtml |date=June 1, 2009}} "Spring Break", ''American Heritage'', February/March 2006</ref> Lee County is the home for spring training of the [[Boston Red Sox]] and the [[Minnesota Twins]] [[Major League Baseball]] teams.

The area that is now Lee County has several archaeological sites that show evidence of habitation by peoples belonging to the [[Caloosahatchee culture]] (500 to 1750 AD). By the time of European contact, the area was more specifically occupied by the [[Calusa]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Marquardt |first=William |title=Shell Mounds in the Southeast: Middens, Monuments, Temple Mounds, Rings, or Works? |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25766215 |journal=American Antiquity |access-date=21 April 21, 2022 |volume=75 |issue=3 |page=559 |date=July 2010 |jstor=25766215 |s2cid=162295725 |doi=10.7183/0002-7316.75.3.551}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Robin |title=Florida's First People |publisher=Pineapple Press, Inc. |location=Sarasota, FL |date=1994 |page=159 |isbn=9781561640324}}</ref> After European contact, fishermen from Cuba and other Spanish colonies set up fishing camps, known as ''ranchos'' in Spanish, on the southern portion of the Gulf Coast of Florida. These ''ranchos'' extended from [[Charlotte Harbor (estuary)|Charlotte Harbor]] south to [[San Carlos Bay]] and the mouth of the Caloosahatchee. Likely established in the latter part of the 1600s, they were precursors to the larger European settlements that would be established in the following centuries.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hammond |first=E.A. |title=The Spanish Fisheries of Charlotte Harbor |url=http://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/ucf%3A25419 |journal=The Florida Historical Quarterly |volume=51 |issue=4 |date=April 1973 |access-date=30 August 30, 2022}}</ref> As the 18th century came to an end, the Calusa who had once inhabited the area were replaced with the [[Seminole]]. In particular, in 1799, an Indian agent noted the existence of a Seminole town on the "Cull-oo-saw-hat-che" or Caloosahatchee River.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brown | first=Canter Jr. |title=Florida's Peace River frontier |publisher=University of Central Florida Press |location=Orlando, FL |date=1991 |page=6 |isbn=0813010373}}</ref>

On August 13, 2004, the county was struck by [[Hurricane Charley]], a [[Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4|category 4]] storm, particularly on the northwestern islands of [[Captiva Island|Captiva]], [[Boca Grande, FL|Gasparilla]], and [[North Captiva]]. On September 10, 2017, Lee County was struck by [[Hurricane Irma]] as a [[Saffir–Simpson scale|category 2]] storm. On September 28, 2022, [[Hurricane Ian]] made landfall on Lee County as a [[Category 4 hurricane|category 4]] storm, causing major damage to [[Sanibel, Florida|Sanibel]], [[Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)|Pine Island]], and surrounding areas. [[Sanibel Causeway]] partially collapsed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andone |first=Paul P. Murphy,Rebekah Riess,Dakin |date=2022-09-September 29, 2022 |title=Sanibel and Captiva islands cut off from Florida mainland after Ian's 'biblical' storm surge washes away three parts of Sanibel Causeway |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/29/us/sanibel-causeway-bridge-florida-hurricane-ian/index.html |access-date=2022-09-September 29, 2022 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> 5571 deaths occurred in Lee County as of October 4.<ref name="FL 105 deaths">{{cite news |last=Seaver |first=Matthew |date=March 23, 2023 |title=Remembering the people taken by Hurricane Ian. |url=https://www.cnnwinknews.com/20222023/1003/0428/us/hurricaneremembering-ianthe-floridapeople-taken-recoveryby-tuesdayhurricane-ian/index.html |titleaccessdate=HurricaneMarch Ian's23, death2023 toll|work=Wink risesNews as crews in Florida go door to door in search for survivors in decimated neighborhoods|publisher=CNN|first=Nouran|last=Salahieh|date=OctoberMcBride 4,Family 2022|accessdatelanguage=October 4, 2022English}}</ref>

|2020n=<ref name="2022PopulationEstimate">{{cite web |title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |website=County Population Totals: 2020-2022 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=30 March 30, 2023 |date=30 March 30, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2020census"/>

|estyear=20222023

|estimate=822453834573

!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US12071&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |access-date=2022-05-May 27, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US12071&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-May 27, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

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The '''Lee County Sheriff's Office''' is the primary [[law enforcement]] agency for [[Lee County, Florida]] headquartered in [[Fort Myers, Florida]].

The Lee County Sheriff's Office responds to all calls for service within unincorporated Lee County and employs civilian dispatchers who provide dispatch for LCSO Deputies and Florida Southwestern State College Police. The [[Cape Coral Police Department]], [[Fort Myers Police Department]], Sanibel Police Department and the Lee County Port Authority Police maintain their own police dispatch centers.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office is also responsible for Correctionscorrections, Courtcourt Operationsoperations, and Civilcivil Proceedingsproceedings. There are multiple specialized units within the agency including Aviation, K9, SOU, Fugitive Warrants, Marine, Electronic Surveillance, and Tactical Narcotics Teams.

The several collegesColleges in Lee County include: [[Florida Gulf Coast University]] (FGCU), [[Barry University]], [[Nova Southeastern University]], [[Florida SouthWestern State College]], Cape Coral Technical College, Fort Myers Technical College,<ref name="Logan">{{cite web|url=http://www.news-press.com/story/news/education/2015/06/08/fort-myers-cape-coral-technical-institutes-now-colleges/28703411/|title=Fort Myers, Cape Coral technical institutes now colleges|last=Logan|first=Casey|date=June 8, 2015|publisher=News-Press|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> [[Hodges University]], [[Keiser University]], [[Southern Technical College]], and [[Rasmussen College]].

The parks are maintained by the county's Parks & Recreation Department. The department also maintains [[spring training]] facilities for the [[Boston Red Sox]] and [[Minnesota Twins]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.leegov.com/parks/about |title=About Us |website=Lee County Southwest Florida |access-date=2022-08-August 25, 2022}}</ref>

Popular beaches include: Fort Myers Beach,<ref>[https://www.livingswfl.com/posts/fort-myers-beach-florida-living-swfl Fort Myers Beach],</ref> Sanibel and Captiva Island,<ref>[https://www.livingswfl.com/posts/sanibel-island-florida-living-swfl Sanibel and Captiva Island],</ref> Bonita Beach, Bunchee Beach,<ref>[https://www.livingswfl.com/posts/bunche-beach-florida-living-swfl Bunchee Beach],</ref> and Lovers Key.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Real Estate Articles and News - Fort Myers, Naples, SWFL |url=https://www.livingswfl.com/categories/Beaches/posts |access-date=2023-04-April 13, 2023 |website=Troy Robillard |language=en}}</ref>

The Lee County Library System currently provides more than 294,000 Lee Countycounty residents with over 1.5 million items and materials available for use or patron circulation, as well as an online library materials catalog, free wi-fi, public computer access, scan and print capabilities,scanning and manyprinting more patron amenitiescapabilities.<ref>Lee County Library System. About the Library. Web. Retrieved from: https://www.leegov.com/library/about</ref>

As of MarchApril 3130, 20222024.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 20, 2022|title=Sarasota County, FL: Supervisor of Elections|url=https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-county-and-party/|url-status=live|access-date=April 20, 2022|website=Sarasota County, FL: Supervisor of Elections|agency=SOE Software Corporation}}</ref>

|218225,046124

|4347.32%

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|148129,725760

|2927.52%

|128109,670297

|2522.59%

|812,505359

|12.76%

!503476,946540

:*[[Southwest Florida International Airport]] ([[IATA airport code]] - RSW), in South Fort Myers, serves over 8.37&nbsp;million passengers annually.<ref name=lylcpa/> Currently, the airport offers international non-stop flights to Cancun, Mexico; Frankfurt, Germany; Nassau, Bahamas; and Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in Canada. In addition, nine airlines operate flights to 29 domestic nonstop destinations. On September 9, 2005, the airport opened a new terminal.

:*[[Page Field]] (IATA airport code - FMY), also in South Fort Myers, just south of the incorporated limits of the City of Fort Myers, is the county's general aviation airport. Prior to the opening of Southwest Florida Regional Airport in 1983 (now Southwest Florida International Airport), Page Field was the county's commercial airport.

A small [[port]] operation continues in [[Boca Grande, Florida|Boca Grande]], being used as a way-point for oil distribution. However, Port Boca Grande has been in decline for many years as the shipping industry has moved north, especially to the [[Port of Tampa]].

In addition, a private enterprise operates a high-speed, passenger-only [[ferry]] service between [[Fort Myers Beach, Florida|Fort Myers Beach]] from San Carlos Island and [[Key West, Florida|Key West]]. Another ferry service is offered from Fort Myers to Key West.

:*'''[[MatlachaMidpoint Memorial Bridge]]''' ([[Florida State Road 78884|County Road 884]]): a small4-lane single-leafspan [[Basculebridge bridge|drawbridge]]that connectingconnects Cape Coral towith MatlachaFort andMyers, [[Pineover Islandthe (LeeCaloosahatchee County, Florida)|Pine Island]]River.

:*'''[[MidpointPine MemorialIsland BridgeCauseway]]''' ([[Florida State Road 88478|County Road 78]]): 4-lanea small single-spanleaf [[Bascule bridge|drawbridge]] that connectsconnecting Cape Coral withto FortMatlacha Myers,and over[[Pine theIsland Caloosahatchee(Lee River.County, Florida)|Pine Island]]

:*'''[[Sanibel Causeway]]''' ([[State Road 867 (Florida)|State Road 867]]): series of three 2-travel-lane single-span bridges and two 3-travel-lane island [[causeway]]s crossing the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River at the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. The causeway connects Punta Rassa with Sanibel.

Fixed-route [[transit bus|bus]] service is provided by the [[Lee County Transit Department]], operated as "[[LeeTran]]". Several routes extend outward from the Downtown [[Intermodal passenger transport|Intermodal Transfer Center]]; in addition, suburb-to-suburb routes are operated, as well as [[park and ride|park-and-ride]] service to and from both Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida International Airport.

[[Arbitron]] standard radio market: Ft Myers-Naples-[[Marco Island, FL|Marco Island]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/mm001050.asp |title=Market Ranks |publisher=Arbitron.com |access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref> With an Arbitron-assigned 783,100 listening area population, the metropolitan area ranks 62/299 for the fall of 2006. The metropolitan area is home to 32 [[radio station]]s.

[[City of Palms Park]] had been built in 1992 for the Red Sox' spring training. Former Red Sox left fielder [[Mike Greenwell]] is from Fort Myers, and was instrumental in bringing his team to the city for spring training.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kambic |first=Randy |title=MLB family's legacy continues in Cape Coral |url=https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/cape-coral/2018/07/21/cape-coral-mlb-greenwells-batting-cages-red-sox/792884002/ |access-date=10 August 10, 2021 |work=Fort Myers News-Press |date=21 July 21, 2018}}</ref> The deal for JetBlue Park left City of Palms Park without a tenant. County officials have discussed the possibility of securing another team for City of Palms. [[Terry Park Ballfield]] (also known as the Park T. Pigott Memorial Stadium) in East Fort Myers is also not currently in use by a Major League Baseball team, though it is the former home of the [[Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]], [[Cleveland Indians]], [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], and [[Kansas City Royals]].

===Municipal Districtdistrict ===

* [[Babcock Ranch, Florida|Babcock Ranch(Part)]]

* [[Boca Grande, Florida|Boca Grande(Part)]]