History Of Estero
ENCHANTING ESTERO
This captivating community is a sanctuary, a haven of natural beauty and up-to-date amenities.
The Estero River is a scenic ribbon of fresh water that threads to Estero Bay, a treasured and protected aquatic preserve. Native trees dapple the sunlight along its route, wrapping visitors in the sounds of nature. Egrets and herons tiptoe through the shallows undisturbed while roseate spoonbills sweep the waters for bits of food. During spring mating season the spoonbills are a wonder to watch as their feathers blush pink against the late afternoon sun.
Estero nurtures nature in an area of Southwest Florida that the “native residents”—from deer to raccoons, songbirds to butterflies—call home. People, too, are drawn to this unique destination, attracted by an unhurried lifestyle and top-notch amenities: shopping, healthcare, entertainment, and a thriving business community.
Ideally located between Naples and Bonita Springs to the south and Fort Myers to the north, Estero offers easy access to I-75 and U.S. 41, the area’s major north-south corridors. Florida Gulf Coast University, an accredited member of the state’s university system, is just minutes away. So is Southwest Florida International Airport, which boasts Foreign Trade Zone status.
Excellent schools, exceptional healthcare facilities, two major performing arts centers, numerous museums and art galleries, unlimited recreational opportunities and a wealth of housing options are all available in the Estero area. Year-round sunshine perfectly complements the numerous golf courses, tennis courts, miles of bike paths, canoe and nature trails—and, of course, the shimmering Gulf of Mexico, just minutes away.
Estero is prepared to welcome you, your family, your business and your employees with attractive wages and cost of living, an incomparable lifestyle, and a family oriented community with hometown values.
We look forward to meeting you!
History of Estero
Richly historic, Estero can claim a heritage filled with ancient Native Americans, Spanish conquistadors, citrus and cattle farmers, a unique religious sect and, finally, 20th century retirees. Today, as the community forges its way into the 21st century, young families and professionals join the ranks of the retirees. The citrus groves and cattle herds may be dwindling, but Estero’s colorful history is being carefully preserved by the Estero Historical Society.
The Society’s several dozen members and president Mimi Straub want Estero residents to know the community’s history. They have collected hundreds of photographs, artifacts and first-person narratives that chronicle its colorful past.
Calusas & Spaniards
Straub explains that Estero, along with much of coastal Southwest Florida, was inhabited thousands of years ago by ancient tribes of Native American Calusas. The Calusas fished the Gulf, established settlements near fresh water tributaries, and paddled cypress canoes to colonies in other areas. Archeologists believe nearby Mound Key in Estero Bay may be the tribes’ regional center; the 125-acre island is about 33 feet high and covered with massive middens, refuse heaps composed of discarded shells.
In the 1500s, Spanish explorers and enterprising pirates sailed Southwest Florida’s coastal waters in treasure-laden galleons. They named this area “Estero,” the Spanish word for estuary. Some purposely put ashore to rest and refill their water casks, others were driven in by storms and high winds, and still others sank to the sea’s bottom, overcome by hurricanes.
When word returned to the Spanish monarchy of this new land and its tall, fierce-looking inhabitants (the Calusas), Ponce de Leon was sent on a mission of conquest. He sailed as far south as Estero Bay, but the warrior tribes defeated him and drove him back to sea.
Other Spaniards followed, and the Calusa were eventually conquered—but by disease, not warfare. Common European illnesses such as smallpox and influenza spread like wildfire among the sheltered tribes, and the last known Calusa died in the late 1700s.
Citrus, Cattle & Koreshans
By the mid 1800s, Florida had become a land of opportunity. Pioneer families headed south, settling on the high ground created by the Calusas and raising citrus and cattle. Frank Johnson, one of Lee County’s early pioneers, settled on Mound Key and began excavating the historic site, gathering Calusa artifacts and gold left behind by the Spaniards.
In 1904, the Koreshans, a celibate Utopian society that settled by the Estero River, built a post office at their settlement and Estero officially became a town.
But three years later, other local citizens protested the incorporation, and the neophyte city was once again part of unincorporated Lee County.
The Koreshans gradually dwindled in numbers, and when their leader, Dr. Cyrus Teed, died in 1908, the group began breaking up. The four remaining members deeded the Koreshan property to the State of Florida in 1961.
Today, the Koreshan State Historic Site includes several preserved buildings, and fishing, camping, nature study, picnicking and boating are popular activities. Canoe rentals are available and park rangers offer guided walks and campfire programs according to seasonal demand.
Into the Future
Estero remained a quiet, sleepy citrus community for the next 50 to 60 years, harboring small retirement communities and mobile home parks. Estero River Heights, the area’s first major development, was built along the river during the late 1960s; today, the neighborhood is filled with mature landscaping, towering trees, home renovations and price points that reflect its desirable waterfront location.
In 1997, Southwest Florida’s only four-year university, Florida Gulf Coast University, opened right in Estero’s backyard, bringing with it national talent and exceptional opportunities. Germain Arena and Miromar Outlets opened in Estero in 1998, increasing the population and real estate values.
Miromar is a 70-acre, 700,000-square-foot outlet center. Germain, which doubles as a hurricane and emergency shelter housing up to 6,500 people, is the home of the Florida Everblades professional hockey team, the Sea Dragons basketball team, and the Firecats, a minor league arena football team.
The Boomer family in Estero has generously donated their historic Caretaker’s Cottage, which will be moved to the new Estero Community Park. The 1927 structure is the epitome of Old Florida architecture: heart of pine floors, a tin roof, beadboard, wraparound porches, and a fireplace. The cottage will be placed on a full acre under mature oak trees, an ideal setting.
Courtesy of Estero Chamber of Commerce
