Discover Fort Myers Area History

The Earliest Residents

The Calusa, or “fierce people," ruled the Southwest Florida coastline for thousands of years. This advanced civilization included a royal hierarchy headed by kings and a system of collecting tribute from neighboring tribes.

Huge shell mounds, remnants of the Calusa’s seafaring culture, are still visible today at the Calusa Heritage Trail in Pineland, Mound Key in Estero Bay and the Fort Myers Cultural Museum and Environmental Learning Center (aka the Mound House) on Fort Myers Beach and on Useppa Island.

Calusa dominance of the region ended in the mid-18th century, after disease and slavery decimated the local population. Some of the remaining Calusa fled to Cuba, a destination for fish and cattle from Southwest Florida during the 18th and 19th centuries, and some remained in Florida to be absorbed by other tribes including the Seminoles.

The Early Colonists

Near the turn of the century, pioneer settlers made their way to the pine flatwoods and open prairies in the Fort Myers area to fell and mill lumber. Agriculturalists established citrus and tropical fruit plantations on the islands, and people came to work the fields. Fishermen flocked to the coastal areas and eked out a hard and salty existence.

This progress is chronicled in small collections at museums such as the Southwest Florida Museum of History in Fort Myers, the Museum of the Islands on Pine Island, Sanibel Historical Village on Sanibel Island, the Mound House and the Davison cottage, home to the Estero Island Historic Society and next to Matanzas Pass Preserve in Fort Myers Beach.

More Recent Settlers

In the late 1800s, Dunbar emerged east of downtown Fort Myers. The story of this industrious African-American community is told at the Williams Academy Black History Museum at Clemente Park.

At about the same time, wealthy Northerners discovered a tropical playground. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford established winter homes on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River. Others, including Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Mary Roberts Rinehart, followed for the superb sport fishing and mild climate. Presidents continue to visit to this day.

Explore Local Museums

Many museums have collections from the First and Second World Wars; Fort Myers was an important training ground for airmen and support staff at Buckingham and Page Field airports. Ancient Indian history as well as more recent history (1950s and ‘60s) is on display at the Cape Coral Historical Museum. See the marketing genius of the Rosen brothers, developers of Cape Coral, come to life in buttons, banners and publicity shots of celebrities.

History buffs will want to see as many of the museums as possible to piece together the various parts into a cohesive collage of Lee County’s history.