Punta Rassa, Florida
| Punta Rassa, Florida | |
|---|---|
| CDP | |
 Location in Lee County and the state of Florida |
|
| Coordinates: 26°31′N 82°0′W / 26.517°N 82.000°WCoordinates: 26°31′N 82°0′W / 26.517°N 82.000°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Florida
|
| County | Lee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.5 sq mi (11.6 km2) |
| • Land | 2.4 sq mi (6.1 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,750 |
| • Density | 384.7/sq mi (149.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| FIPS code | 12-59250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0289383 |
Punta Rassa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,750 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Punta Rassa is located at 26°31′N 82°0′W / 26.517°N 82.000°W (26.5104, -81.9988).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.5 square miles (12 km2), of which 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (47.66%) is water.
The location was named "Punta Rasca" (Spanish for "smooth or flat point" and later corrupted to "Punta Rassa") by the Spanish Conquistadors in the mid-16th century, who unloaded cattle in the area.
Punta Rassa was a thriving cattle shipping town in the 1800s. Florida cattle would be loaded at the port onto ships destined for Cuba. It was one of the home bases for the "King of the Cracker Cowboys" Jake Summerlin, who by the time he was 40 was one of the wealthiest of the Florida cattle barons. The town of Punta Rassa was lined with wooden buildings, including a hotel and several bars, which were frequented by the many merchants and cattle sellers.
Between 1835 and 1865, Punta Rassa was a site of many Indian skirmishes during the Seminole Indian Wars. As a result, Fort Dulany was built there in 1838, as an army supply depot. A hurricane destroyed Fort Dulany in October 1841, and the military was forced to look for a site less exposed to storms from the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of the search, Fort Harvie was built on the grounds that now comprise downtown Fort Myers. Fort Dulany was rebuilt and later used again during the Civil War when Punta Rassa again became a thriving southwest Florida port.
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Wikipedia