Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The county makes up the entirety of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the most populous county in Southwest Florida.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2000, the population of Lee County was 440,888. The population estimate for 2008 was 623,725.
Its county seat is Fort Myers, and its largest city is Cape Coral.
History
Lee County was created in 1887 from Monroe County. It was named for Robert E. Lee, Confederate general in the American Civil War.
Incorporated in 1886, Fort Myers is the center of a popular tourist area in Southwest Florida and the seat of Lee County. It is located about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River. Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of Thomas Edison, as well as Henry Ford. Lee County has been the host to several Major League Baseball teams for Spring Training, over the past several decades. Currently, it is the spring home of the Boston Red Sox, as well as the Minnesota Twins.
Fort Myers, built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians that were massacring the area’s few settlers, was named after Col. Abraham C. Myers, who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort’s establisher and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle, chief Billy Bowlegs and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and the fort was abandoned. Billy’s Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west.
In 1863, the fort was reoccupied by Federal troops during the Civil War. In 1865 the fort was attacked unsuccessfully by a small group of Confederates. After the war, the fort was again deserted.
The first settlers arrived in 1866, but it was not until 1882 when the city experienced a significant influx of settlers. By 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, it was the second largest city only to Tampa on Florida’s west coast south of Cedar Key, even larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time.
Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the building of The Royal Palm Hotel in 1898. But what really sparked the city’s growth was the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge built across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924. After the bridge’s construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city.
In 1923, Collier and Hendry Counties were created by splitting these areas from Lee County. As recently as 2004, discussion had taken place surrounding the possibility of the city of Cape Coral becoming its own county, citing in particular a perceived lack of infrastructure support from the Lee County government. However a new county has not as of yet been created.
On August 13, 2004, the county was hit hard by Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 storm, particularly on the northwestern islands of Captiva, Gasparilla and North Captiva.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,212 square miles (3,139 km²), of which, 804 square miles (2,081 km²) of it is land and 408 square miles (1,057 km²) of it (33.69%) is water.
Lee County is located on the southwest coast of Florida. It is approximately 125 miles (201 km) south of Tampa and 115 miles (185 km) west of Fort Lauderdale via Interstate 75; and approximately 125 miles (201 km) west-northwest of Miami via U.S. Highway 41.
Lee County is the sole county in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Adjacent counties
- Charlotte County, Florida (north)
- Glades County, Florida - (northeast)
- Collier County, Florida (southeast)
- Hendry County, Florida (east)
National protected areas
- Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
- J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
- Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge
- Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 440,888 people, 188,599 households, and 127,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 549 people per square mile (212/km²). There were 245,405 housing units at an average density of 305 per square mile (118/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.69% White, 6.59% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.07% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 9.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 86.7% spoke English, 8.7% Spanish and 1.1% German as their first language.
In 2005 the population was 76.6% non-Hispanic white, 14.3% Latino, 7.5% African-American and 1.1% Asian. (Source=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12071.html)
There were 188,599 households out of which 22.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the county the population was spread out with 19.60% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 25.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.2 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,319, and the median income for a family was $46,430. Males had a median income of $31,247 versus $24,380 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,542. About 6.70% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.
Law enforcement
Education
There are multiple colleges in Lee County They include Florida Gulf Coast University, Barry University, Nova Southeastern University, Edison State College, Hodges University, Southwest Florida College and Rasmussen College.
Municipalities
Incorporated
- City of Bonita Springs Population 43,517
- City of Cape Coral Population 154, 499
- City of Fort Myers Population 65, 729
- Town of Fort Myers Beach Population 6,874
- City of Sanibel Population 6,321
Unincorporated
- Alva
- Boca Grande
- Bokeelia
- Buckingham
- Burnt Store Marina
- Captiva
- Charleston Park
- Cypress Lake
- East Dunbar
- Estero
- Fort Myers Shores
- Gateway
- Harlem Heights
- Iona
- Lehigh Acres
- Lochmoor Waterway Estates
- Matlacha (on Matlacha Island)
- Matlacha Isles-Matlacha Shores
- McGregor
- North Fort Myers
- Olga
- Page Park
- Palmona Park
- Pine Island Center
- Pine Manor
- Pineland (on Pine Island)
- Punta Rassa
- San Carlos Park
- South Fort Myers
- St. James City
- Suncoast Estates
- Three Oaks
- Tice
- Villas
- Whiskey Creek
Islands
- Big Hickory Island (Lovers Key / Carl E. Johnson State Park)
- Cabbage Key
- Captiva Island
- Cayo Costa (Cayo Costa State Park)
- Estero Island (Town of Fort Myers Beach)
- Gasparilla Island (community of Boca Grande)
- Little Hickory Island (Beaches of Bonita Springs)
- Matlacha Island
- North Captiva Island
- Pine Island
- San Carlos Island
- Sanibel Island (Town of Sanibel)
- Useppa Island
Transportation
Airports
Seaports and marine transport
A small port operation continues in Boca Grande, being used as a way-point for oil distribution. However, Port Boca Grande has been in decline for many years as the shipping industry has moved north, especially to the Port of Tampa.
In addition, a private enterprise operates a high-speed passenger-only ferry service between Fort Myers Beach From San Carlos Island and Key West. Another ferry service is offered from Fort Myers to Key West
Major highways
The Southwest Florida Expressway Authority is an 8-person body including transportation officials from Lee and Collier Counties, the role of which is to raise toll revenue to widen and improve major arteries throughout both counties. Of particular priority is the needed revenue to widen the I-75 freeway beyond the 6-lane expansion due to begin in March 2007.
Bi-county transportation corridor
In March 2005, Lee County and Charlotte County concluded a transportation study on creating a circumferential freeway that would bypass downtown Fort Myers, running through downtown Cape Coral and South Fort Myers.
The freeway is being designed as an 8- to 10-lane structure, including minor frontage roads. It is to begin at the Jones Loop Road interchange with Interstate 75 south of Punta Gorda in C
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