The Seminole Indian Wars during the 1840s and 1850s brought about the construction of several union forts along the Caloosahatchee River to serve as a base of operation for federal troops. One was Fort Myers, named after Colonel Abraham C. Myers, chief quartermaster in Florida. It fell into disuse until the Civil War when it became an important outpost and was reoccupied.

Four hundred years before in 1521, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon introduced cattle into the territory. They roamed the wide open ranges freely without care, thriving on wild grasses and the plentiful Palmetto. During the Spanish occupation of Florida, large herds were raised, providing beef, tallow for candles and hides.

When Florida became an American territory in 1821, people from the north began resettling here, many bringing their own cattle and breeding them with the Spanish cows. Raiding Indians and white outlaws were serious problems. Another was loss of stock by wolves, panthers and bears. These early cattle ranchers eventually developed the stronger and bigger Angus and Hereford cows. The Florida cattle industry flourished, as colorful and wild as the Old West, complete with hard-riding cowboys known as “Crackers” because of the popping noise from their whips, cross-country roundups, and tales of gun fights and rustlers.

Sanibel Island saw its first settlers in 1833 as part of a private New York land investment program. Although it didn’t last long, the colonists petitioned the United States government for a lighthouse since commerce over water was increasing. In 1884 the beacon of the Sanibel Lighthouse was turned on.

During the Civil War, Florida cattle were an important source of food to the Confederate Army. With a ready market, many ranchers shipped their cows by steamboat up the Apalachicola and Chattahoochee Rivers and sold them at Columbus, Georgia, where there was a major trading post.

With the destruction of the economy in the Southern states after the war, the first wave of settlers found a new home in Fort Myers where a school, theatre, banks, hotels and shops were built.

Also after the war, the US cattle market died but a new one opened in Cuba. The cows were rounded up from the open Florida ranges and herded through the Old Fort Myers area to Punta Rassa, a busy little town with an 800-foot wharf, hotels, cow pens, and a few saloons. The cows were loaded onto clipper ships bound for the Spanish country which paid one gold coin for each cow, about $15 in those days. It was common for cattlemen to carry leather bags filled with gold coins. Tales of buried gold abound today since few trusted banks then.

In the 1830s, a compulsory dipping law for cattle was enforced to eradicate the fever tick. This required ranchers to build fences and control where their cattle roamed. The grazing territories for cattle changed and the open ranges became more restricted. Today, Florida’s oldest industry is still a major business. The state ranks third in the nation in cattle production.

Fort Myers was known as “Cowtown” until folks from up north began resettling in the area during the ’60s and ’70s. Its temperate climate, natural amenities, cheap land, and favorable growth potential brought a steady stream of new homesteaders. In 1885, Thomas Alva Edison came to Fort Myers for the healthier and warmer locale and built a 14-acre winter home. His estate included laboratories, vintage automobiles, exotic plants and tropical gardens. His good friend, auto manufacturer Henry Ford, also became a resident next door. Their homes are now city museums open to public tours.

By 1876 the community of Fort Myers was officially created. At the turn of the century, Fort Myers boasted 943 residents. The warm, temperate climate drew families desiring to resettle along with winter visitors escaping the cold, harsh north.

Another building boom began. Elaborately decorated vernacular homes were built. The city’s growth was facilitated by the arrival of Henry Flagler’s railroad in 1904. The new tourism industry also brought community expansion. The historic Bradford Hotel on First Street was built. Communities such as Edgewood, Woodward Grove, and Dean Park were developed, streets were paved, and the famous palm trees along McGregor Boulevard were planted, giving Fort Myers the moniker “City of Palms”. The Burroughs Home, built in 1901 in the downtown historic district, offers tours.

Housed in the restored Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, the Fort Myers Historical Museum traces the history of the area from prehistoric times. In 1894, Cyrus Teed founded a self-sufficient utopian religious community. The Koreshan State Historic Site gives a glimpse into the lifestyle and culture of this sect which left its legacy on the community.

During the last part of the nineteenth century, pineapple plantations sprung up along the river. A severe freeze in 1893 destroyed the industry that moved farther south. The 1920s was a “Boom Time” for all of Florida, and Fort Myers enjoyed the growth. As in other historic towns in Florida, the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture was popular with both commercial buildings and homes. During this time the Seaboard Railroad competed with Henry Flagler’s Coast Line. Three terminals from this period are still in existence in the city.

The Tamiami Trail, linking Fort Myers to Tampa and Miami opened another avenue of travel and commerce. The 1930s saw the end of the Boom Era with the collapse of the stock market and the nation’s economy, along with hurricanes and poor city planning. However, some significant building continued with the construction of the Edison Bridge and the Federal Building in the downtown Fort Myers district.

World War II brought a new wave of growth to Fort Myers along with the rest of Southwest Florida. Since then development has been east and west along the river. The charming, historic downtown district remains.

Lee County, and in particular Cape Coral, are leaders in the nation’s growth, residentially and commercially, drawing visitors and new residents at an ever-increasing rate.