Who Founded Cape Coral? The 1957 Flight and the Rosen Brothers

By Brenton Miebach, REALTOR® | Updated October 5, 2026

Cape Coral was founded by two brothers, Leonard and Jack Rosen. Their company, Gulf American Land Corporation, broke ground on the site in November 1957 and began selling lots in 1958. The land was a stretch of flat scrub on Redfish Point, across the river from Fort Myers. This page is part of our history of Cape Coral.

The brothers before Cape Coral

Leonard and Jack (Julius J.) Rosen were Baltimore businessmen before they were land developers. Through Charles Antell, Inc., they sold Charles Antell Formula No. 9, a hair preparation, across the country, with a big push on television. That gift for national marketing is what they brought to Cape Coral.

The 1957 scouting flight

The book says the brothers flew over the Fort Myers area in a small plane in 1957, looking for land to buy. They saw Redfish Point, a large, flat piece of land with water on its edges. It is Cape Coral’s founding story, and it is a great one.

Photo: A small plane over Redfish Point in 1957, the point of land where Cape Coral began. Restored and colorized from Lies That Came True by Eileen Bernard. Colors are added digitally.

Eileen Bernard’s book tells the flight with real flair, down to a scene where the brothers settle a choice with a coin toss.

Buying the land

The price is reported as $678,000. That figure appears in the Cape Coral Breeze and in a 1957 newspaper report quoted in the book. The size of the purchase is reported two ways. The newspaper report says about 2,000 acres. The Cape Coral Historical Museum says 1,724 acres. Because the sources do not agree, we do not give a price per acre.

From Gulf Guaranty to Gulf American

The company began as Gulf Guaranty Land and Title Company and later took the name most people know, Gulf American Land Corporation. Ground was broken on November 4, 1957, and a sales office opened in January 1958. In 1969 the Rosens sold the company to General Acceptance Corporation, known as GAC.

For more on how the land was turned into building lots, read why Cape Coral has so many canals. For the link that tied the city to the mainland, read the history of the Cape Coral Bridge.

What happened to the Rosens

Jack Rosen died in 1969 at age 50. Leonard Rosen died on August 14, 1987, at age 72. Their company passed to GAC in 1969, and the city they started kept growing.

If you are thinking about a move here today, our guide to living in Cape Coral covers neighborhoods, costs and what to check before you buy.

Who founded Cape Coral? FAQ

Who founded Cape Coral?

Brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen founded Cape Coral through their company, Gulf American Land Corporation. They began the project in 1957.

When was Cape Coral founded?

The development began in 1957. Ground was broken on November 4, 1957, and the first sales office opened in January 1958.

What was Gulf American?

Gulf American Land Corporation was the Rosens’ land company. It dug the canals, sold the lots and built the early town. It was sold to General Acceptance Corporation in 1969.

What did the Rosens do before real estate?

They were Baltimore businessmen who sold Charles Antell Formula No. 9, a hair preparation, across the country through Charles Antell, Inc.

How much did the Rosens pay for the land?

The Cape Coral Breeze and a 1957 newspaper report give $678,000. The reported size is about 2,000 acres in the newspaper report and 1,724 acres from the Cape Coral Historical Museum.

Sources

• Cape Coral Historical Museum, History of Cape Coral
• Cape Coral Breeze, History of Cape Coral (2011)
• Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, History
• Wikipedia, Gulf American Land Corporation
• The News-Press, Money men: Working with the Rosen brothers (2018)
• University of Alabama Press, Selling the Dream: The Gulf American Corporation and the Building of Cape Coral, Florida
• Eileen Bernard, Lies That Came True (book)

Eileen Bernard worked in Gulf American’s publicity department, so her book is an insider’s account of Cape Coral’s early years. We use it alongside the other sources listed here.