Check out Naples…Paradise Found

A bit of Naples history

Long before Naples had a name, people seeking opportunity made it their home.

The first known to historians were tall, proud Native-Americans known as Calusas. They built an intricate civilization taking advantage of the warm Gulf waters teeming with fish and oysters as well as the pine and cypress forests filled with deer, turkey and other game.

Five hundred years later, the same warm climate, subtropical beauty and bountiful natural resources that served the Calusa so well have attracted thousands upon thousands of new Americans seeking opportunity.

The first ones to come were true pioneers. They arrived by wooden boat or ox cart. Later they came by train and Model T. Today they arrive by jet and Chevrolet. All were, or are, in search of their own paradise. And, all in some way shaped Naples.

What is Naples?

It is a vibrant, growing community sandwiched between white sand beaches and rich vegetable fields.

It is the government and economic center of a county the size of the state of Delaware.

It is modern schools, sailboats docked in backyards, ball fields, parks, churches, restaurants, citrus groves, upscale shopping centers, 7-Elevens and people, 304,707 of them at last count.

The 2010 census says Naples is the 149th largest metropolitan area in the United States. In 1960, census takers counted 6,150. This population growth in 40 years has brought vitality as well as challenges to Naples.

Little more than 100 years ago, Naples was a nameless outpost for hunters, fishermen and a handful of squatters. There were no roads, only cart paths that were pocked with mud holes during the summer rainy season. Boats were the only reliable means of transportation in 1887 when two Kentucky gentlemen - Gen. John S. Williams and Walter N. Haldeman - decided to see their Naples dream.

Florida was experiencing a land boom at the time, tripling its population as more and more post-Civil War Americans were discovering the state's potential as a resort for health-seekers and the sports minded.

A persistent theme throughout the boom of the 1880s, according to Ron Jamro and Gerald L. Lanterman in their book "The Founding of Naples", was the romantic notion that the Florida peninsula could somehow be molded into a mirror image of the sunny Italian peninsula. This preoccupation with Italy obviously was on the minds of 10 men when they formed the Naples Town Improvement Co. during a strategy session in Tallahassee in the autumn of 1886. The men had decided to establish a town and name it for Naples, Italy, a thriving seaport on the Mediterranean. They had a name. All they lacked was land. On Dec. 2, they purchased 3,712 acres between the Gulf of Mexico and what came to be known as Naples Bay. The price was $11,136 … $3 an acre.

On the morning of Sept. 10, 1960, Hurricane Donna hit the coast with 120 mph winds. No lives were lost, but much of the town was flooded and damage was put at $25 million. Insurance adjusters arrived soon after the water receded and began paying claims. The money pumped new life into a town that was little more than a winter haven for a few millionaires and a rest stop for cars traveling the 270 miles from Tampa to Miami on the Tamiami Trail. Land values held as new structures replaced old. A new Florida land boom was beginning on the tail of the prosperous 1950s. Donna ironically left Naples well positioned. And, modern-day pioneers flowed into the area bringing their dreams and seeking opportunity. Annually, that migration made Naples one of the fastest growing communities in the nation.

A Climate for Business

The economy of Southwest Florida has changed over the years from one concentrating on just a few industries - tourism, real estate, agriculture - to an ever-evolving combination of goods and services that shows the growing diversity of the area.

To be sure, the old standbys remain at the top of the heap.

Tourism is the seasonal engine. From autumn to late spring, the region is bursting with visitors, here to enjoy the sandy beaches, warm weather and variety of man-made tourist attractions.

Many of those visitors decide to stay, fueling the ever-growing real estate industry. From a community that hugged the coastline just a few decades ago, it has matured into a countywide conglomeration of housing developments, all designed to make the one-time visitor a permanent resident.

Not-so-old timers can tell you of when one had to drive to Miami or at least Fort Myers to do any decent shopping. But that has changed as the nation's major retailers have discovered Naples. An expanded Coastland Center mall and revitalized Fifth Avenue South, along with the traditions of Third Street South, are helping to make the area a self-contained shopper's paradise.  In addition, to the North Naples area there is the Waterside Shoppes and Mercato.

And industry is also discovering Southwest Florida. Not the dirty, smelly industry of the Rust Belt, but a clean, high-tech industry that brings welcome jobs and year-round production.

Waterfront Dining

There's plenty to do in the Naples area

OK, so it's not exactly a "toddlin' town" or a "city that never sleeps." But Naples is definitely more than just a beach, a gulf and a gaggle of signature golf courses. And it has been for quite a while now.

For years, visitors have been surprised to find that once they put their clubs away or brush the sand off their feet, there's plenty to do in Collier County.

Nearly every month there is a festival or fair that's celebrated with a Southwest Florida flair - namely plenty of seafood, sunshine and fun. Even the area's small communities have found it a recipe for success.

The Philharmonic

Another event that reflects the history of the area is the annual Swamp Buggy Races, a tradition that has grown from a muddy ride through a shallow pond to a spectacular race broadcast nationally from a specially designed course at the Florida Sports Park.

Some of the local culture is, of course, a bit more ... cultured, as residents and visitors alike have been unwilling to totally forsake their love for fine food and entertainment while here in Paradise.

Art Galleries

Indeed, those who don't mind putting on a pair of shoes and a shirt at some point during the day have found that the addition of certain luxuries - such as multi-screen theaters, several well-regarded restaurants and The Philharmonic Center for the Arts - have simply made the place all the more heavenly.

About the Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida Area 

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