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A Community Rich with History
Ft. Myers Beach is seven miles long with the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico lapping white sugar sand beaches. Fort Myers Beach is located in Lee County, Florida and is part of Southwest Florida. Fort Myers Beach has grown from a quaint fishing village to a prime vacation destination.
Early Fort Myers Beach
About 2000 years ago the Caloosa Indians called Fort Myers Beach home. They built shell mounds which still exist today. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon made multiple expeditions to Caloosa Florida, both times meeting great hostility from the Caloosa people. He even tried to settle part of Caloosa territory, but his men were repelled and Ponce De Leon himself was mortally wounded.
Pirates and the Beginning of Modern Fort Myers Beach
Another character adding to the rich history of Fort Myers Beach was the pirate, Black Augustus, who settled on the island in the 1870′s. The Islands were a playground for pirates during this time. Black Augustus eventually settled on Ft. Myers Beach at the site we know today as Lover’s Key State Park. Rumor has it that the pirate buried his treasure at this location. The Pirate Augustus was rumored to have told a family who created a trading post for the pirates of this destination to find his buried treasure. No one knows if it was ever found. For family fun, our visitors and residents take a vacation from everyday life and enjoy becoming pirates at the Ft. Myers Beach Pirate Festival each October during Columbus Day weekend.
Ft. Myers Beach Becomes a City
The modern city of Ft. Myers Beach was incorporated on December 31, 1995 and is governed by a 5-member city council, headed by the mayor. The city planner works with the council to implement the policies developed by the council.
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