Lee County, Florida: Difference between revisions

 

In 1882, the city experienced a significant influx of settlers. In 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated,<ref>Grismer, K.H. (1984). ''Story of Fort Myers: The History of the Land of the Caloosahatchee and Southwest Florida'' (reprint ed.). Island Pr. p. 132</ref> its population of 349 residents made it the second-largest city only to Tampa on Florida's west coast south of Cedar Key, even larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070107044709/http://www.fortmyers.org/fort-myers-history.htm The History of Fort Myers], www.fortmyers.org.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Downtown &#124; Fort Myers, FL - Official Website |url=https://cityftmyers.com/1741/Downtown}}</ref> Lee County was formed in 1887 from [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]], with Fort Myers serving as the county seat.<ref name="Florida Historical Society"/> It was named for [[Robert E. Lee]], Confederate general in the American Civil War.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gannett |first=Henry |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |year=1905 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n183 184]}}</ref> Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the opening of the Royal Palm Hotel in 1898, built by [[New York City]] department store magnate Hugh O'Neill.<ref name="news-press.com">[http://www.news-press.com/story/life/outdoors/2016/02/13/tourist-attraction-fort-myers-hugh-oneill-royal-palm-hotel-history-williams/79871878/ "Remembering the first tourist attraction in Fort Myers"], News-Press, February 13, 2016.</ref> Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of [[Thomas Edison]], as well as [[Henry Ford]].<ref name="Colihan"/> In 1911, Fort Myers was incorporated as a city.<ref>Grismer, p. 205</ref> In 1923, [[Collier County, Florida|Collier]] and [[Hendry County, Florida|Hendry]] Counties were created by splitting these areas from Lee County. Construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge, built across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924, sparked the city's growth. After the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city.<ref name="news-press.com"/> In 1927, a property purchased by the City of Fort Myers was turned into an airport eventually called [[Page Field]].

 

===Modern growth (1940s–present)===

 

The county received a boost in 1983 when Southwest Florida Regional Airport (now known as [[Southwest Florida International Airport]]) opened.<ref name=lylcpa>{{cite web|url=http://www.flylcpa.com/uploads/pagesfiles/2001.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615095500/http://flylcpa.com/uploads/pagesfiles/2001.pdf |title=SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RSW) TOTAL PASSENGERS |archive-date=June 15, 2016}}</ref>

 

====Hurricanes====