|
Fort Myers Beach's past includes pirates and buried treasure, Spanish conquistadors
and the Caloosa Indians. In the 1870's, pirates plied their trade around the islands, and rumors that they sunk
long boats laden with treasure to later recover still persist. Artifacts have been found on Mound Key to
suggest Spanish ships may have visited our area around mid 1500's. Also found on Estero Island and Mound Key were artifacts
from the earliest settlers, the Caloosa Indians.
Today, tourism and the shrimp and fishing industry are the beaches mainstay.
There is an annual blessing of the fleet and a Shrimp Festival in March. Fort Myers Beach is known as a family island
with over 1.8 million visitors a year. Our crescent shaped, sugar sand, seven mile beach is also believed to be the
"worlds safest beach". Many a "snowbird" has chosen to call this friendly island paradise home.
Officially confirmed on October 11, 1973, Estero Island Chapter began with nineteen members on the
roll and was assigned the Chapter number 3-087 FL. Currently, the chapter has 77 members and 7 associate members from
the greater Lee County area. Many of the organizing members were active in the Caloosahatchee Chapter, but lived in
or near Fort Myers Beach, a settlement on Estero Island. The chapter chose the name "Estero Island" to remind all of
the local history.
The word "estero" is derived from the Spanish word "astillero" which means "shipbuilding place."
Ponce de Leon is reported to have brought his ship, "San Cristobel," into the sheltered waters around Estero Island in order
to make repairs. Since Estero Island could only be reached by navigating the Matanzas Pass, it was an ideal, isolated
spot. (History and Roster, 1988-1998, FSDAR, Vol. VII)
|
