75-576: Cape Coral is a city in Lee County, Florida , United States, on the Gulf of Mexico . Founded in 1957, the city's population had grown to 194,016 as of the 2020 census , a 26% increase from 154,309 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-most populous city in Florida. With an area of 120 square miles (310 km), Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and Miami in both population and area. It
150-491: A college of business and engineering and biotechnology programs. Other colleges and universities serving the area are Hodges University , Southwest Florida College and Rasmussen College . Cape Coral Technical College is a postsecondary educational institution operated by the Lee County public school system. It provides training in medical, computer and food-science fields. Employer-specific training, both on and off-site,
225-414: A free dinner for two. The model, referred to as team-selling, allowed for a well-trained team to close deals in 90 minutes. Buyers would sign a contract and agree to come to the property within six months and cancel if not satisfied. Ezio Valentini, an Italian real estate developer, joined GALC and became director of sales. The program was so successful that offices were opened in 24 states, and an arrangement
300-684: A freestanding Emergency Room & Urgent Care in Northeast Cape Coral along Del Prado Blvd. The following year, HCA Florida opened a 24/7 Freestanding Emergency Room along Pine Island Rd. In 2022, Encompass Health opened a 40-Bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital at the corner of NE Pine Island Rd. and Pondella Rd. Mike Greenwell founded an amusement park named Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park that opened in February 1992. The facility changed ownership in April 2019, and it
375-463: A narrow point in Matlacha Pass, a tidal waterway separating Pine Island and Little Pine Island from the mainland. County Road 78 (Southwest Pine Island Road) crosses the waterway at Matlacha, leading southwest 3 miles (5 km) to Pine Island Center and northeast through Cape Coral 12 miles (19 km) to North Fort Myers . Matlacha is bordered to the northeast, across Matlacha Pass, by
450-563: A per capita income of $ 34,818. About 10.5% of population below the poverty threshold . The median value of owner-occupied housing units between 2016 and 2020 was $ 235,300 and the median gross rent was $ 1,225. Around 94.2% of the households had a computer and 87.2% of households had a broadband internet subscription. As of 2010, 78.99% of residents spoke English as their first language, and 15.19% spoke Spanish, 1.28% French Creole (mostly Haitian Creole,) 0.88% German, 0.59% Portuguese, and 0.55% spoke French as their main language. In total, 21.01% of
525-460: A wide diet, which can include fish, fowl, and small mammals. The city's many waterways work against its capture and provide an easy transportation route around the city. The city features a borderline tropical savanna climate ( Köppen climate classification : Aw ), bordering on a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen climate classification : Am ). The area averages 355 days of sunshine per year and experiences precipitation on 145 days per year. While
600-403: Is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. It was one of the first areas of Florida to break away from a Solid South voting pattern. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. Since then, Adlai Stevenson II , Lyndon Johnson , Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama have been the only Democrats to manage 40 percent of the vote. Lee County
675-940: Is a public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in South Fort Myers. The university belongs to the 12-campus State University System of Florida . FGCU competes in the ASUN Conference in NCAA Division I sports. The school is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate's , 51 different types of bachelor's , 29 different master's , and six types of doctoral degrees. The parks are maintained by
750-473: Is also elected at large and is the eighth member of the council. The mayor presides over council meetings. On January 13, 2021, Mayor Joe Coviello died, and the City Council unanimously decided to appoint a mayor, rather than have a special election . The City Countil voted 6–1 to appoint council member John Gunter to the position of mayor. The City of Cape Coral provides police and fire services within
825-571: Is also responsible for corrections, court operations, and civil proceedings. There are multiple specialized units within the agency including Aviation, K9, SOU, Fugitive Warrants, Marine, Electronic Surveillance, and Tactical Narcotics Teams. Colleges 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, Hodges University , Keiser University , Southern Technical College , and Rasmussen College . FGCU
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#1732783212587900-513: Is available through Business and Industry Services of Lee County which maintains an office in Cape Coral. The city has over 400 miles (640 km) of canals. Most of the canals are navigable, and some have access to the Gulf of Mexico. Cape Coral's canal system is so extensive that local ecology and tides have been affected. The system provides many residents with waterfront living with access to
975-537: Is from Fort Myers, and was instrumental in bringing his team to the city for spring training. 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
1050-569: Is growing at a faster rate than the state of Florida and the United States. As of 2020, there were 74,387 households. The median income for a household in the city is $ 65,282. The per capita income for the city was $ 34,586. 9.9% of the population are below the poverty line. As of 2000, 87.18% of residents spoke only English at home as a first language , while 7.61% spoke Spanish , 1.70% spoke German , 1.20% spoke Italian , 0.61% spoke French , and 0.41% spoke Tagalog . In total, 12.81% of
1125-740: Is included in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ). Lee County was established in 1887 from Monroe County . Fort Myers is the county seat and a center of tourism in Southwest Florida. It is about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River . Lee County is the home for spring training of the Boston Red Sox and
1200-415: Is on the southwest coast of Florida. It is about 125 miles (201 km) south of Tampa , 115 miles (185 km) west of Fort Lauderdale via Interstate 75 , and roughly 125 miles (201 km) west-northwest of Miami via U.S. Highway 41 . Lee County has a year-round warm, monsoon -influenced climate that is close to the boundary between tropical and subtropical climates (18 °C (64 °F) in
1275-484: Is one of the first pioneer families of Lee County and many still reside within the county, mainly around the Pine Island area. In 1882, the city experienced a significant influx of settlers. In 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, 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
1350-679: Is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . Matlacha is an "Old Florida" fishing village, home to many brightly colored art galleries, island boutiques, seafood restaurants, and traditional Floridian cottages. The village was largely devastated by Hurricane Ian in October 2022 Matlacha is located in northwestern Lee County at 26°37′49″N 82°4′24″W / 26.63028°N 82.07333°W / 26.63028; -82.07333 (26.630339, -82.073412), on West Island and Porpoise Point Island at
1425-550: Is provided by Cape Coral Hospital. Trauma Services are provided by Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers or Tampa. In December 2012, the Lee County VA Healthcare Center opened on Diplomat Parkway, providing a large range of medical services to veterans. Lee Health plans to expand healthcare services throughout the 2020s. Lee Health is planning to open a new hospital by 2030. Lee Health is expanding
1500-549: Is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Byron Donalds of the 19th district and by Greg Steube of the 17th district . Most of the county is in the 19th, while the far eastern portion is in the 17th. As of May 31, 2024. A small port operation continues in Boca Grande , being used as a way-point for oil distribution. However, Port Boca Grande has been in decline for many years as
1575-487: Is the former home of the Philadelphia Athletics , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Kansas City Royals . Matlacha, Florida Matlacha ( / ˈ m æ t l ə ʃ eɪ / MAT -lə-shay "MAT-la-shay" ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida , United States. The CDP had a population of 598 at the 2020 census , down from 677 at the 2010 census. It
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#17327832125871650-452: Is the largest and principal city in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city has over 400 mi (640 km) of navigable waterways, more than any other city on earth. The original inhabitants around the Cape Coral area were the Calusa . After Florida became a state in 1845, multiple pioneers started selling and buying land in what is now Cape Coral under
1725-405: The 2020 United States census , 760,822 people, 288,916 households, and 187,877 families resided in the county. About 4.6% of that population was under 5 years old, 17.3% was under 18, and 29.2% was 65 or older; 51.0% was female; 89.3% was 25 years or older were high-school graduates and 28.5% of those 25 years or older had a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household income was $ 59,608 with
1800-476: The 2020 United States census , there were 194,016 people, 69,912 households, and 48,359 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 154,309 people, 56,313 households, and 40,405 families residing in the city. As of 2021, Cape Coral is the eighth largest city in Florida by population. Nearly 60% of the population is between the ages of 18 and 64; residents under 25 outnumber residents over 65. Southwest Florida 's 18–24 age group
1875-479: The Homestead Act . Cape Coral's modern history began in 1957 when two brothers from Baltimore, Maryland , Leonard and Jack Rosen, flew over the peninsula known as Redfish Point, across the Caloosahatchee River near present-day Fort Myers . The brothers, who were real estate developers, purchased a 103-square-mile (270 km) tract with a small group of partners for $ 678,000 and in 1958 began development of
1950-689: The Matlacha Isles-Matlacha Shores CDP. According to the United States Census Bureau , the Matlacha CDP has a total area of 0.69 square miles (1.78 km ), of which 0.20 square miles (0.52 km ) are land and 0.49 square miles (1.26 km ), or 70.99%, are water. As of the census of 2000, there were 735 people, 409 households, and 213 families residing in the CDP. The population density
2025-654: 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 . After European contact, fishermen from Cuba and other Spanish colonies set up fishing camps, known as ranchos in Spanish, on
2100-520: 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. After Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821, a number of settlers moved into Florida, causing conflict with the local Seminole Indians. Fort Myers was built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians during the Seminole Wars . The fort
2175-530: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 120 square miles (310.8 km), of which 110.09 square miles (285.1 km) is land and 9.91 square miles (25.7 km) (9%) is water. Cape Coral is a large peninsula and is bordered in the south and east by the Caloosahatchee River and in the west by Matlacha Pass. Fort Myers lies across the Caloosahatchee River to the east, and Matlacha and Pine Island lie across Matlacha Pass to
2250-570: The West Indian manatees at Sirenia Vista Park. Cape Coral is home to the largest population of burrowing owls in Florida. Cape Coral is home to three invasive species , the green iguana , the spiny-tailed iguana , and the Nile monitor , which was discovered in 2009. The iguanas are found throughout southern Florida and generally do not pose a threat. The Nile monitor is however a large (3–7 feet), fast traveling, fast swimming carnivore with
2325-496: The wet season (May to October) is hot and humid with rather erratic tropical downpours, dry seasons (November to April) tend to be pleasantly warm and see only sporadic precipitation. The city receives about 56 inches of rain each year, the majority of which falls from June to September. During the summer months, afternoon thunderstorms are heavy yet brief. The city is affected by the annual hurricane season, which begins officially on June 1 and continues through November. As of
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2400-627: The Caloosahatchee River east of Cape Coral in adjoining North Fort Myers . In 2026, the Lee County Department of Transportation and the City of Cape Coral plan on constructing a new westbound span for the Cape Coral Bridge. The westbound span, which was built in 1964, does not meet requirements set forth by Lee County. The $ 185 million project will include a new pedestrian bridge, an expansion to 6 lanes on both spans, removal of
2475-543: The Caloosahatchee River, which opened in early 1964. Before the bridge, a trip to Fort Myers was more than 20 mi (32 km) via Del Prado Boulevard and over the Edison Bridge to cross the river. The city incorporated on August 18, 1970, and its population continued to grow rapidly until the real estate slowdown that gripped the region beginning in 2008. On September 28, 2022, Cape Coral suffered major damage when Hurricane Ian made landfall nearby. According to
2550-434: The City of Fort Myers was turned into an airport, eventually called Page Field . During World War II , Page Field served as an advanced fighter training base and home to the several bomber groups. Following the war, a small terminal was built in the mid-1950s as the airport transitioned to commercial use. Another airfield was constructed in 1942 called Buckingham Army Airfield . The base was closed down in 1945, after which
2625-731: The Civil War, Fort Myers was occupied by federal troops with the intention of disrupting the Confederate cattle supply from Florida. In February 1865, it was the site of the Battle of Fort Myers . The first settlers in Fort Myers arrived in 1866. In the 1870s, Tervio Padilla, a wealthy merchant from the Canary Islands, came by way of Key West to Cayo Costa and established trade with natives and "ranchos" that extended northward to Charlotte Harbor. His ships often made port at Cayo Costa at
2700-608: The Core Knowledge and Cambridge Curricula. Since the system is public, there is no tuition. The municipal charter schools are available exclusively to children who live in Cape Coral. The main campus of Florida SouthWestern State College is located immediately east of Cape Coral in Fort Myers. The college offers associate and bachelor's degrees, plus technical training in fields such as allied health programs, computer networking & programming, business administration, paralegal, criminal justice and fire science. 2009 enrollment
2775-615: The Downtown Intermodal Transfer Center ; in addition, suburb-to-suburb routes are operated, as well as park-and-ride service to and from both Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida International Airport. The Downtown Intermodal Transfer Center in Fort Myers also serves as an intermediate stop on Greyhound Lines bus service. Newspapers include The News-Press and Florida Weekly . Arbitron standard radio market: Ft Myers-Naples- Marco Island . With an Arbitron-assigned 783,100 listening area population,
2850-554: The Fort Myers area. A cross-town rivalry has developed with the Minnesota Twins , which conduct their spring training at Hammond Stadium in south Lee County, which has a capacity of 7,500 and opened in 1991. The Red Sox' lease with Fort Myers ran through 2019, but the Red Sox were considering exercising the early out in their contract that would have allowed them to leave following the 2009 spring season. On October 28, 2008,
2925-517: The Gulf of Mexico via the broad Caloosahatchee River and Matlacha Pass. The Parks and Recreation Department maintains three public boat launching facilities. The Gulf of Mexico provides access to smaller tropical islands, rookeries, and sports fishing grounds. Interstate 75 passes within 10 miles (16 km) of Cape Coral and connects northward to Tampa ; and southeastward to Miami . Cape Coral borders on U.S. Highway 41 . U.S. 41 and I-75 can be accessed from State Route 78 (Pine Island Road). Within
3000-537: The ICU at Cape Coral Hospital from 22 beds to 34 beds. Furthermore, Lee Health is partnering with Florida State University to bring an Internal Medicine Residency Program to Cape Coral Hospital. Lee Health will also open a new outpatient center as a part of the Bimini Basin project near Downtown Cape Coral. Other plans include expansion of the existing outpatient center. In 2021, Bayfront Health, now Shorepoint, opened
3075-520: The Lee County commission voted 3–1 to approve an agreement with the Boston Red Sox to build a new spring-training facility for the team in south Lee County. That stadium, named JetBlue Park at Fenway South, is located off Daniels Parkway near Southwest Florida International Airport. The stadium opened in time for the 2012 season. City of Palms Park had been built in 1992 for the Red Sox' spring training. Former Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell
Cape Coral, Florida - Misplaced Pages Continue
3150-529: The aftermath of Hurricane Ian. 71 deaths occurred in Lee County as of October 4. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,212 square miles (3,140 km ), of which 428 square miles (1,110 km ) (35.3%) are covered by water. Rivers and streams include the Caloosahatchee River , the Imperial River , the Estero River , Hendry Creek, and Orange River. Lee County
3225-576: The barracks served as classrooms for Edison College until 1948. Following the end of World War II, the Royal Palm Hotel was closed permanently, and in 1947, the hotel on the corner of First and Fowler was torn down. Lee County has been the host to several Major League Baseball teams for spring training over the past several decades. The county received a boost in 1983 when Southwest Florida Regional Airport (now known as Southwest Florida International Airport ) opened. On August 13, 2004,
3300-647: The city a network of arterial roadways are established. Cape Coral has approximately 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of roadways. In general, the north–south routes are evenly spaced apart every one or two miles (3.2 km), and most of them have at least four lanes. Cape Coral is connected to the south side of the Caloosahatchee River by two bridges. The 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long Cape Coral Bridge connects Cape Coral Parkway to College Parkway in McGregor . The Midpoint Memorial Bridge connects Veterans Parkway to Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Several other bridges span
3375-473: The city as a planned community. The Gulf American Land Corporation (GALC) was formed to develop the area. GALC developed a marketing model that was a departure from traditional selling methods. Approval was secured from Lee County to master-plan the entire property into lots. Instead of listing the lots with real estate agents, GALC developed the land sales, dinner-party model, operating from banquet rooms in local hotels. People were invited to attend by offering
3450-427: The city had the largest low pressure reverse osmosis plant in the world, capable of producing 15 MGD (56,780 m/day). Sewage is collected and highly treated to produce reclaimed water , locally known as "rescued water". Reclaimed water is distributed throughout the city through a dual water pipe system and used for irrigation. Alternatively, reclaimed water can be discharged into the Caloosahatchee River. The Cape
3525-752: The city. Cape Coral has continuously expanded public and private school systems with high performance standards. Cape Coral is part of the Lee County School District , which is operated by the Lee County Board of Education. As of 2009, the Board of Education operated 8 elementary, 6 middle, and 5 high schools in the Cape. There are four public high schools in Cape Coral: Cape Coral High School , built in
3600-436: The coldest month), thus is either classified as a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), which is the classification used by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , or a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw ). Lee County has short, warm winters, and long, hot, humid summers, with most of the year's rainfall occurring from June to September. The temperature rarely rises to 100 °F (38 °C) or lowers to
3675-454: The county was struck by Hurricane Charley , a category 4 storm, particularly on the northwestern islands of Captiva , Gasparilla , and North Captiva . On September 10, 2017, Lee County was struck by Hurricane Irma as a category 2 storm. On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Lee County as a category 4 storm, causing major damage to Sanibel , Pine Island , and surrounding areas. Sanibel Causeway partially collapsed in
3750-1006: The county's Parks & Recreation Department. The department also maintains spring training facilities for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins . Some of the main tourist attractions in Southwest Florida are its beaches. Lee County is home to ten beach parks and an additional seven beach accesses, maintained by Lee County Parks & Recreation. Popular beaches include Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Island, Bonita Beach, Bunchee Beach, and Lovers Key. The Lee County Library System has 13 branches. The towns of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island, though located in Lee County, maintain their own independent public library entities. The Lee County Library System currently provides more than 294,000 county 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, and scanning and printing capabilities. Unlike most urban counties, Lee County
3825-510: The entrance to the harbor. Enchanted by the tropical island, he eventually decided to settle there. Padilla prospered until the outbreak of the Spanish–American War , when his fleet was burned and scuttled. He then turned to another means of livelihood – fishing. When the government claimed his land, he was disinclined to set up another ranch, so moved with his wife further down the island and as before, simply homesteaded. The Padilla family
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#17327832125873900-491: The fort was reoccupied by federal troops during the Civil War . In 1865, in the Battle of Fort Myers , the fort was attacked by a small group of Confederates. The Union's garrison, led by Captain James Doyle, successfully held the fort and the Confederate forces retreated. After the war, the fort was again deserted. The fort was later disassembled and some of its wood was used to build parts of downtown Fort Myers. During
3975-573: The freezing mark. At 89, Lee County leads the nation in the number of days annually in which a thunderstorm is close enough for thunder to be heard. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 64.2 °F (17.9 °C) in January to 83.4 °F (28.6 °C) in August, with the annual mean being 75.1 °F (23.9 °C). Records range from 24 °F (−4 °C) on December 29, 1894 up to 103 °F (39 °C) on June 16–17, 1981. As of
4050-506: The late 1970s; Mariner High School , which opened in 1987; Ida S. Baker High School , founded in 2004 and named after one of the early principals of Cape Coral High School, which opened in 2005; and the newest, Island Coast High School , which opened its doors for the 2008–2009 school year. Cape Coral has created a municipal charter school system, known as Oasis Charter Schools. The system consists of two elementary schools, Oasis Middle School , and Oasis High School . The charter schools use
4125-710: The metropolitan area ranks 62/299 for the fall of 2006. The metropolitan area is home to 32 radio stations . Nielsen Media Research designated market area : Ft. Myers-Naples Number of TV homes: 479,130 2006–2007 U.S. rank: 64/210 Fort Myers is home to Florida Gulf Coast University . Its teams, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles , play in NCAA Division I in the ASUN Conference . The Eagles' men's basketball team had an average attendance of 2,291 in 2013. The Boston Red Sox hold their annual spring training at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in
4200-978: The population spoke languages other than English as their primary language. Lee County's stronger economic sectors include construction, retail, leisure, and hospitality. Hertz moved its headquarters from New Jersey to Estero in 2016, the first major corporation to relocate to Lee County. The largest employers in Lee County as of 2019 are: 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 Lee County Port Authority Police maintain their own police dispatch centers. The Lee County Sheriff's Office
4275-402: The population was 2,850; 1,300 buildings had been finished or were under construction; 80 mi (130 km) of road had been built, and 160 mi (260 km) of canals had been dug. The public yacht club, a golf course, medical clinic and shopping center were up and running. A major addition for Cape Coral was the construction of the 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long Cape Coral Bridge across
4350-564: 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 from San Carlos Island and Key West . Another ferry service is offered from Fort Myers to Key West. Fixed-route bus service is provided by the Lee County Transit Department , operated as " LeeTran ". Several routes extend outward from
4425-599: The southern portion of the Gulf Coast of Florida. These ranchos extended from 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. As the 18th century came to an end, the Calusa who had once inhabited the area were replaced with
4500-635: The state. The county seat is Fort Myers , with a population of 86,395 as of the 2020 census, and the largest city is Cape Coral , with an estimated 2020 population of 194,016. The county comprises the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ), which, along with the Naples - Marco Island ( Collier County ) MSA and the Clewiston ( Hendry County , Glades County ) Micropolitan Statistical Area ( μSA ),
4575-537: The time. Lee County was formed in 1887 from Monroe County , with Fort Myers serving as the county seat. It was named for Robert E. Lee , Confederate general in the American Civil War. 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. Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of Thomas Edison , as well as Henry Ford . In 1911, Fort Myers
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#17327832125874650-548: The toll booth on the Fort Myers side, and an expansion of the Cape Coral Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard intersection. Public transit services in Cape Coral are provided by LeeTran . LeeTran operates 18 fixed-route bus services, including six within Cape Coral. Cape Coral is 14 miles (23 km) from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), which serves nearly 10 million passengers annually. In 2010, eighteen national and two international airlines, as well as
4725-497: The total population spoke languages other than English. The economy in Cape Coral is based on healthcare services, retail, and real estate/construction. The city's Economic Development Office promotes and incentivizes business relocation to Cape Coral. In 2016 the city's top five employers were the Lee Memorial Hospital , Lee County School System , Publix Supermarkets , City of Cape Coral and Walmart . Acute care
4800-454: The town's African-American population increased from 0 in 2000 to 2 in 2010. There were 409 households, out of which 6.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.7% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
4875-555: The two major cargo companies, served the airport. Cape Coral is also served by Page Field , a general aviation airport in Fort Myers eight miles (13 km) from Cape Coral. Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) is located in Punta Gorda , 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coral. In 1977, Cape Coral became the first municipality in the United States to use the reverse osmosis process on a large scale with an initial operating capacity of 3,000,000 US gallons (11,000 m) per day. By 1985,
4950-505: The west. Matlacha Pass is home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge and the Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve. The area supports waterfowl , wading birds , migrant songbirds , gopher tortoises , dolphins and reptiles. Rotary Park is home to wading birds, raptors , butterflies , foxes and other wildlife. Nature enthusiasts can track exotic birds and native fish from the boardwalk at Lake Kennedy and watch
5025-409: Was 1.80 and the average family size was 2.33. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 7.3% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 38.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.4 males. The median income for a household in
5100-429: Was 4,878.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,883.7/km ). There were 579 housing units at an average density of 3,843.3 per square mile (1,483.9/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.23% White , 0.27% Native American , 0.27% Asian , 0.68% from other races , and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population. As of the 2010 census, Matlacha's population decreased to 677 and
5175-512: Was among the first in Florida to deploy the new 4.9 GHz pre-WiMax wireless channel authorized by the FCC in 2003 for exclusive public safety use. Lee County, Florida Lee County is located in southwestern Florida , United States, on the Gulf Coast . As of the 2020 census , its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in
5250-475: Was incorporated as a city. In 1923, Collier and 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. In 1927, a property purchased by
5325-448: Was made with an airline to charter flights to fly buyers to the property. Instead of borrowing from banks and lenders, the developers factored the sales contracts to pay for building the infrastructure. Canals were dug, streets paved, houses and businesses built. Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development. Celebrities were brought in to tout the benefits of "the Cape", as it is known locally. The first building in Cape Coral
5400-445: Was more than 16,000 students on four campuses. One of Florida's youngest state universities, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), opened in 1997 in nearby Fort Myers and now serves more than 12,000 students. FGCU has established a Cape Coral satellite facility, which provides Cape students with a growing offering of core courses. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, including an executive master's program,
5475-465: Was named after Col. Abraham C. Myers , who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort's establisher and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle, Chief Billy Bowlegs and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and the fort was abandoned. Billy's Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west. In 1863,
5550-585: Was renamed to Gator Mike's Family Fun Park. The facility includes a mini-golf course, Go-Karts, zip lining, bungee jumping, and more. Both city libraries are part of the Lee County Library System . Cape Coral Lee County Public Library had 175,000 books in 2002. Northwest Regional Library holds over 70,000 items. Parks and recreation includes: The city of Cape Coral operates under the council–manager form of government. City Council members are elected at large from seven districts. The mayor
5625-504: Was the Rosens' sales office. It was built where George's Auto now stands, at Cape Coral and Coronado Parkways. Cape Coral's first permanent resident was Kenny Schwartz, the Rosens' general manager. Cape Coral's first four homes were completed in May 1958, on Riverside and Flamingo Drives. Development continued through the early 1960s, mostly on Redfish Point, south of Cape Coral Parkway. By 1963,
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