April 12-25, 2017
Fort Myers was one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River and was used as a base of operations against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. The fort was abandoned in 1858 and reoccupied by Federal troops from 1863-1865. The Southernmost battle of the Civil War, a skirmish between Northern and Southern troops occurred across the river in 1865 and is reenacted annually at the North Fort Myers Cracker Festival. During the American Civil War, Confederate blockade runners and cattle ranchers called Fort Myers home. These settlers prospered through trading with Seminole Indians and Union Soldiers.
Like so many towns in the US, the Fort Myers downtown area became vacant and neglected. However, in 2003 a redevelopment plan was launched and Fort Myers has been reinvigorated. In an effort to preserve the area’s treasures of the past, the City has designated Downtown, Edison Park, Dean Park and Seminole Park as historic districts, with 20 historic landmarks that are part of the preservation program.
Today, Fort Myers has much to offer and we seem to be centrally located. Centennial Park and the Historical District is just east of us and the Edison and Ford Winter Estates are to the west, all are on the waterfront and within walking distance of Andiamo. We visited Centennial Park to view several Civil War memorials and the Uncommon Friends Monument that represents three of the fathers of the American Industrial 20th century: Thomas Alva Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone, all of whom had winter homes in Fort Myers.
In 1927, Edison, Ford, and Firestone formed the Edison Botanic Research Corporation (EBRC) and built the EBRC Botanical Laboratory on the Edison estate. In search of a domestic source for rubber, hundreds of varieties of plants were planted and tested in the botanical lab. Many of the plants still remain and make for a wonderful stroll through the gardens of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. In particular, there is a banyan tree, believed to be planted in the late 1920’s, which is now one of the largest in the continental United States with a canopy of almost an acre. Its circumference is 376 inches and height is 84 feet.
Currently, a popular attraction in Historic Downtown is a monumental 23-piece iron sculpture exhibit by internationally-renowned artist Edgardo Carmona. The exhibit will remain in the area through May of 2017.
A diver cleaned the bottom of Andiamo on Thursday, Friday, Julie drove us around Ft. Myers as we shopped for “boat stuff” that we needed to do the 500 -hour service -maintenance on Andiamo. When we were not doing maintenance and cleaning Andiamo, we were visiting Centennial Park, the Historical Downtown District, the Ford/Edison Estate, and watching a sunset from the air conditioned lounge, on the third floor of the marina office. We are now looking forward to continuing our trip on the Okeechobee waterway.
Around Town
Pictures from the Edgardo Carmona Sculpture Exhibit
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Fun Facts: Fort Myers is called the City of Palms because, in an effort to beautify the city, Edison planted over 1,300 Royal Plans, lining both sides of a mile long section of a city street.
During his career, Thomas Edison was awarded 1,093 United States patents and is the only person granted a patent every year for 65 consecutive years.