Fort Myers Beach, Florida
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Fort Myers Beach is a town located on the north end of Estero Island in
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 the state. The county seat ...
, United States. The town is on the Gulf of Mexico and is accessed from the mainland by a bridge over Estero Bay. It is part of the
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area 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 the state. The county seat ...
. It was officially incorporated on December 31, 1995. The population was 5,582 at the 2020 census, down from 6,277 at the 2010 census.


History


Early history

The
Calusa The Calusa ( , Calusa: *ka(ra)luś(i)) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Previous Indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands o ...
Indians first inhabited Estero Island, the island that Fort Myers Beach occupies, 2,000 years ago. The Calusa Indians resisted Spanish colonization attempts successfully including those by
Ponce de León Ponce may refer to: *Ponce (surname) *Ponce (streamer) (born 1991), French streamer *Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city in Puerto Rico ** Ponce High School ** Ponce massacre, 1937 * USS ''Ponce'', several ships of the US Navy * Manuel Ponce, a Mexican com ...
in 1513 and 1521. The Calusa met their demise 150 years later due to disease, hostilities, and political and economic upheaval. In the mid to late 1700s, Cuban
fishermen A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishermen may be professional or recr ...
then began to settle a small fishing village known as a Ranchero. This effectively displaced the remaining Calusa. In 1845,
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
became the 27th state.


American settlement

The
Homestead Act of 1862 The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of t ...
initiated American settlements on Estero Island. In 1862, Robert Gilbert received a homestead grant at the end of Connecticut Street, the highest point on Fort Myers Beach. In 1911, William Case developed the first subdivision and cottage rental industry. By 1914, all the property on the island was homesteaded with little industry beyond a hotel, fishing, gardening, and a sawmill operated by the
Koreshan Unity The Koreshan Unity was a communal utopia formed by Cyrus Teed, a distant relative of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. The Koreshans followed Teed's beliefs, called Koreshanity, and he was regarded by his adherents as "the n ...
(a
communal society An intentional community is a voluntary residential community designed to foster a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. Such communities typically promote shared values or beliefs, or pursue a common vision, which may be political ...
based on mainland Estero). At this point, Estero Island was named Crescent Beach. Development on Crescent Beach was slow until the 1920s when Florida gained national attention as a vacation destination. In 1921, a toll bridge was opened connecting the beach to the mainland, followed closely by the construction of two casinos, hotels, a pier and the island's first canal. The land boom ended with the hurricanes of 1921 and 1926 that challenged the paradise appeal of southwest Florida. Despite entering a depression, Crescent Beach continued to gain small businesses, restaurants, subdivisions, and a school. In the 1950s, Crescent Beach continued to modernize. Many hotels were built including the Rancho del Mar, which boasted the first swimming pool. Additionally, the swing bridge was electrified to facilitate traffic. During this time, "pink gold" or pink
shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...
were discovered igniting the shrimping industry and ancillary businesses to support it as the population increased by 50 percent. During this second land boom, numerous civic organizations, churches, local newspapers, weather and
US Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, mi ...
stations, and the Beach Library were added to the island. The library became the first free public library in Lee County and opened in 1955 in a one-room cottage with a single librarian. On December 31, 1995, legislation was passed to incorporate the town of Fort Myers Beach. The island has year-round and seasonal residents, and a tourism industry.


Geography

The town is situated on the north end of Estero Island, one of the
barrier island Barrier islands are a Coast#Landforms, coastal landform, a type of dune, dune system and sand island, where an area of sand has been formed by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of an ...
s in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of
Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,395; it was estimated to have grown to 95,949 in 2022, making it the List o ...
. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (53.41%) is water.


Climate

Fort Myers Beach has a
tropical climate Tropical climate is the first of the five major climate groups in the Köppen climate classification identified with the letter A. Tropical climates are defined by a monthly average temperature of or higher in the coolest month, featuring hot te ...
and has the following statistics on average. It receives 56 inches of rain and 0 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 76. There are 265 sunny days per year. The July high is around 89 degrees and the low is 75 degrees. The January high is 75 and the low is 55.


Hurricane Ian

On September 28, 2022,
Hurricane Ian Hurricane Ian was a devastating tropical cyclone which was the third costliest natural disaster, weather disaster on record worldwide. It was also the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, and ...
made landfall north of Fort Myers Beach as a Category 4 hurricane, causing damage and loss of life in the city due to high winds and destructive
storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
, which damaged the majority of homes and businesses along the coastline, including the Times Square. Almost all infrastructure in the area was damaged leaving the island with a continual rebuilding project.


Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,582 people, 3,497 households, and 2,198 families residing in the town. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 6,277 people, 3,596 households, and 2,025 families residing in the town. The population density in 2010 was . There were 9,402 housing units at an average density of . In 2010, there were 3,444 households, out of which 7.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.23. In 2010, in the town, the population was spread out, with 5.4% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 11.6% from 25 to 44, 34.9% from 45 to 64, and 45.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 63.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males. In 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $55,213, and the median income for a family was $79,292. Males had a median income of $41,761 versus $39,961 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $57,902.


Arts and culture

The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival celebrates the shrimping industry on Fort Myers Beach, and features a shrimp eating competition, a 5k run, a parade, a pageant, and a food and crafts exposition. Taste of the Beach takes features local restaurants offering food samples. Fort Myers Beach Pirate Festival features a pirate bazaar, themed live music and performances, live ship battles, children's activities and the jolly pub quest. The American Sand Sculpting Championship is the largest sand sculpting event in the United States; nearly 47,000 attendees visit and 2,000 tons of sand are sculpted. Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade features 30 to 50 illuminated boats decorated with animated Christmas scenes. Saint Raphael's Episcopal Church hosts the Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet, an annual event started in 1952 to bless all the boats and their crews.


Parks and recreation

* Bay Oaks Park, a recreational facility and community center. It features outdoor tennis courts, baseball fields, disk golf course and a small playground. * Bayside Veterans Park, a small park consisting of a stage and area for portable seating overlooking over Matanzas Harbor. * Fort Myers Beach Community Pool, a public pool with a water slide, kiddie pool and water works areas. * The Mound House, an archaeological and historical site consisting of a small park and museum. * Newton Beach Park, a small public beach park. It housed the 1953 Seven Seas Cottage of Jim and Ellie Newton, after which it was named, until its destruction by hurricane Ian.


Government

Fort Myers Beach is governed by a five-member town council.


Education

Fort Myers Beach Elementary School is the only school located on Fort Myers Beach.


Infrastructure

Fort Myers Beach is served by LeeTran buses operated by the county.


References


External links

*
Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Estero Island Historical Society
{{authority control Towns in Lee County, Florida Populated coastal places in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico Towns in Florida Former census-designated places in Florida Beaches of Lee County, Florida Beaches of Florida