Fort Myers Beach
| Fort Myers Beach, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Fishermen wading in Fort Myers Beach
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 Location in Lee County and the state of Florida |
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| Coordinates: 26°26′19″N 81°55′32″W / 26.43861°N 81.92556°WCoordinates: 26°26′19″N 81°55′32″W / 26.43861°N 81.92556°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Lee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.2 sq mi (15.9 km2) |
| • Land | 2.9 sq mi (7.4 km2) |
| • Water | 3.3 sq mi (8.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,277 |
| • Density | 2,262.8/sq mi (848.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 33931-33932 |
| Area code(s) | 239 |
| FIPS code | 12-24150 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0282701 |
Fort Myers Beach is a town located on Estero Island in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,277 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was officially incorporated on December 31, 1995.
Fort Myers Beach is located at 26°26′19″N 81°55′32″W / 26.43861°N 81.92556°W (26.438676, -81.925620).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km2), of which 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (53.41%) is water. The town is situated on the barrier island of Estero Island.
Fort Myers Beach has a tropical climate and has the following statistics on average. It receives 56 inches of rain and 0 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 76. There are 265 sunny days per year. The July high is around 89 degrees and the low is 75 degrees. The January high is 75 and the low is 55.
The Calusa Indians first inhabited Estero Island, the island that Fort Myers Beach, occupies, 2,000 years ago. The Calusa Indians resisted Spanish colonization attempts successfully including those by Ponce de León in 1513 and 1521. The Calusa met their demise 150 years later due to disease, hostilities, and political and economic upheaval. In the mid to late 1700s, Cuban fishermen then began to settle a small fishing village known as a Ranchero. This effectively displaced the remaining Calusa. In 1845, Florida became the 27th state.
The Homestead Act of 1862 initiated American settlements on Estero Island. In 1862, Robert Gilbert received a homestead grant at the end of Connecticut Street, the highest point on Fort Myers Beach. In 1911, William Case developed the first subdivision and cottage rental industry. By 1914, all the property on the island was homesteaded with little industry beyond a hotel, fishing, gardening, and a sawmill operated by the Koreshan Unity (a communal society based on mainland Estero). At this point, Estero Island was named Crescent Beach.
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