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Fort Myers
| Chamber of Commerce: |
Chamber of Commerce
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| Land Area: |
25 square miles in Lee County
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| Population: |
45,206
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| Population Density: |
1,808 per square mile in Lee County
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| General Characteristics: |
Although many people look to the area for retirement, the area is one of the fastest growing in the United States and is a well-rounded community from all aspects..
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| Location: |
Fort Myers is located on the Caloosahatchee River, which flows gently into the Gulf of Mexico some 15 miles away
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| Nearby Access Routes: |
Interstate Highway 75 traverses the county in a north/south direction; in Collier County to the south, it turns east and is dubbed the Everglades Parkway, a.k.a. Alligator Alley. U.S. Highway 41 (a.k.a. Tamiami Trail) is the other main north/south road. It runs from Tampa to Miami, roughly paralleling I-75, although it is the older of the two highways and is both farther west--closer to the ocean--and farther south than I-75
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| Recreation/Organizations: |
If your favorite sport is done on or in the water, Lee County will please you, whether you enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, jet skiing, diving snorkeling, water-skiing or parasailing. Some have called Fort Myers Beach "the world's safest beach" because of its shallow water and absence of undertow. Fishing is big here. A popular fishing pier dominates the north end of Estero Island in Fort Myers Beach. Southwest Floridians love golf. Some even claim it's the world capital of golf. The region is home to 95 golf courses, about a third of which are in Lee County, so golfers of all skill levels have many courses to choose from. For family fun, locals adore Lakes Park, south of Fort Myers, with its canoes and paddle boats and picnic facilities, and downtown's pride and joy, Centennial Park.
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Dancing on First Street to live-band music provided Saturday-night fun for residents of Fort Myers during the '30s. Things are going so well here, it may not be long before they're doing it again. Well-known and oft-remembered for its long rows of stately royal palm trees that line McGregor Boulevard--the first 200 of which were ordered from Cuba by Thomas Edison--the city is undergoing impressive redevelopment sparked by a $31 million federal courthouse and including renovation of the Dean Hotel, the Collier Arcade and the Patio deLeon block.
The area seems able to combine almost effortlessly the best of the old and the new. Between Ponce de Leon's first visit to the area in 1513 and Thomas Edison's 1886 arrival with his bride, the area developed slowly. Since then, the pace has quickened; other areas of Lee County have grown rapidly, especially Cape Coral, only a few decades old and already the county's biggest city. The neighboring islands of Sanibel and Captiva, known worldwide for their shelling and natural beauty, have attracted many to the area. Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs, both in the south section of the county, add to the charm and choices of the Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. Although its population is only about half that of Cape Coral, Fort Myers dominates the center and gives its venerable name to the area. Located on the wide and wandering Caloosahatchee River, the city features a sizable downtown marina in an area blessed by rivers, bays, harbors, canals, lakes and beaches. It's truly a water wonderland. The residents know it, love it, use it. After all, that's why most of them or their ancestors--came here in the first place.
Living close to the massive ecosystem called the Everglades, the River of Grass, with its 600 species of birds and animals and its 1,000 plant varieties, the residents of the Fort Myers region value their natural environment. Bonita Springs is only minutes away from the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the northern border of the Big Cypress Swamp. It's also home to Everglades Wonder Gardens, a refuge for exotic birds and animals.
Native flowering plants and trees, red and black mangroves with their distinctive "legs," alligators, even crocodiles, are found here. So are burrowing owls and gentle manatees, a.k.a. sea cows. Almost half of Sanibel Island is preserved as the J.N. "Ding" Darling Nature Preserve, said to protect nearly 300 species of birds as well as numerous amphibians, reptiles and mammals. The county's beaches and bays attract naturalists, especially Sanibel's, which captures shells and other treasures from the sea in such abundance because of its unusual east/west orientation. Speaking of sea treasures, twin island Captiva delivers its share.
Children enjoy the out of doors as much as their elders. But for a special treat, area youngsters delight in the Children's Science Center, with its mazes, holographs, optical illusions and other hands-on fun and the huge waterslide and play pools at the Sun Splash Family Waterpark, both in Cape Coral. For all ages, you can't beat the Edison/Ford Winter Estates at 2350 McGregor Blvd. in old Fort Myers. From 1886 to 1931, the prolific inventor Thomas Edison spent his winters here. The home, laboratory, lovely grounds and a museum holding many of the results of his genius are open to the public, as are the adjoining home, grounds and classic cars of his friend and admirer Henry Ford, another American giant.
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