What Cape Coral Was Before the Canals
Before 1957, the land that became Cape Coral was a wild point on the Caloosahatchee called Redfish Point. Here is who owned it and what it looked like.
Cape Coral History
The history of Cape Coral, Florida: the pioneers, the canals, the bridge and the stories behind the city. Written by Brenton Miebach, REALTOR.
The Giant Fish of the Caloosahatchee
The Caloosahatchee has drawn anglers for over a century, from Thomas Edison to early record tarpon. Here is its fishing history and its giant, protected sawfish.
How Cape Coral Got Its Power
In 1957, LCEC manager Homer Welch and founder Leonard Rosen shook hands on eight miles of power line down Del Prado. Here is how Cape Coral got its electricity.
The Waterfront Wonderland Campaign That Sold Cape Coral
Gulf American sold Cape Coral as a Waterfront Wonderland, by mail order and monthly payments, with free flights and dinner sales. Here is how it worked.
When Hollywood Came to Cape Coral: Route 66 and The Fat Spy
A Route 66 TV episode filmed in Cape Coral in 1963, and the 1966 comedy The Fat Spy was shot around town. Here is the story of Hollywood in the young city.
Mammoths and Mastodons Under Cape Coral
The ground under Cape Coral is Ice Age fossil country. A mammoth bone was found here in 2018, and the city’s founders told older stories of bones in the canals.
Hurricane Donna and Cape Coral, 1960
Hurricane Donna struck Southwest Florida on September 10, 1960, when Cape Coral was three years old. Here is what happened, with sources and the gaps.
Cape Coral’s Firsts: First School, First Bank, First Church
A timeline of early Cape Coral firsts: the first church service, shopping center, doctor, library, school and bank, with the dates sources give.
Who Developed Cape Coral? Gulf American, Then GAC
Gulf American built Cape Coral from 1957 to 1969, then sold to GAC. Here is the history of both developers, with sources, and how to check any home today.
The Cape Coral Rose Gardens: The City’s Lost Attraction
Cape Coral Gardens opened in 1964 with about 40,000 rose bushes, a dancing fountain and dolphin shows. Here is the story and where its pieces are today.
