Fort Myers History

Originally built as protection for settlers in the area, Fort Myers was named in honor of Col. Abraham C. Myers, the son-in-law of the commander of Fort Brooke in Tampa.

The fort was used in the Civil War and then disassembled. The city was officially established in 1886. In 1876, approximately 10 families made the area home.

By 1885, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison stopped by to visit the village. He fell in love with it and built a home on the Caloosahatchee River on what is now McGregor Boulevard, whivh is lined on both sides with towering, lush palms.

Edison’s captivation with the area brought down the founder of the Ford Motor Company — none other than Henry Ford. By 1914 the first Ford car dealership was opened in Fort Myers.

Both Edison and Ford kept their winter residences in Fort Myers, and both homes are open as tourist attractions.