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Introduction | Attractions and Activities | Travel Basics

The original Fort Myers was the location of an intermittently-occupied fort until the site was permanently abandoned after the Civil War. A few enterprising souls saw the area's potential and began building hotels late in the nineteenth century. The first was the Keystone, at the foot of Park Street. One momentous event occurred in 1885, when Thomas Alva Edison visited the town, fell in love with it, and built his home and laboratory on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River.

Pineapple plantations preceded the citrus industry, which moved into this area and others after a severe freeze destroyed much of the crop further north. At the dawn of the 20th century, the town was in the midst of a boom, as its 943 residents began building elaborate frame homes along First Street and Palm Beach Boulevard. The Murphy-Burroughs home set the standard. As growth continued, so did improvements, including the paving of roads and the planting of the famous palm trees along McGregor Boulevard.

The new century saw another creative building period begin - the Mediterranean Revival style, which typifies Florida during the 1920s. Many examples of Fort Myers' early architecture have been preserved, both in the public areas of downtown and in private homes all across the city.

Once you visit the "City of Palms," you'll understand why so many people return year after year, if they are willing to leave at all.