- Population: 48,208
- Avg. Single Family $188,703
- Home Price 3/2
- Avg. Condo Price 2/2 $120,685
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, and 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. To learn more about Fort
Myers real estate