ALOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF CAPE CORAL FLORIDA

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THE HISTORY OF CAPE CORAL FLORIDA


History Cape Coral was founded in 1957. Real estate developers, Leonard and Jack Rosen, purchased a 103 square mile tract known as Redfish Point for $678,000 and started development of the city as a master planned, pre-platted community; a so-called “water wonderland”. With over 400 miles (640 km) of navigable waterways, Cape Coral has more miles of canals than any other city on earth. The Gulf American Corporation (GAC) was formed to develop this “Waterfront Wonderland”. Over the course of a few years, beginning in 1958, canals were dug, homes and businesses built, and a city was born. Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development. Celebrities were brought in to tout the benefits of "the Cape", as it is known by the locals. The first building was the Rosen's company headquarters at the corner of Coronado and Cape Coral Parkway. Cape Coral's first permanent resident was Kenny Schwartz, the Rosen’s general manager. Cape Coral's first four homes were completed in May 1958 on Riverside and Flamingo Drives.Through the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, development continued, mostly on Redfish Point, south of Cape Coral Parkway. By 1963, the population was 2,850; 1,300 buildings had been finished or were under construction; 80 miles (130 km) of road had been built, and 160 miles (260 km) of canals had been dug. The public yacht club, a golf course, medical clinic, and shopping center were up and running. A major addition for Cape Coral was the construction of the 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long Cape Coral Bridge across the Caloosahatchee River, which opened in early 1964. Before the bridge, a trip to Fort Myers was more than 20 miles (32 km) via Del Prado Boulevard and over the Edison Bridge to cross the river. The city incorporated in August 1970, and its population continues to grow rapidly.According to estimates, as of 2009 the city had a population of 162,852. With an area of 120 square miles, Cape Coral is since the year 2009 the second largest city in Florida by area. Cape Coral is a principal city in the Cape Coral – Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population estimate for the area was 645,899 for 2009.With more than 162,000 residents in 2009, Cape Coral is one of the fastest growing areas in Florida and the U.S. Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1970 11,470 — 1980 32,103 179.9% 1990 74,991 133.6% 2000 102,286 36.4% Est. 2009 162,852 59.2% source:  In its early years, Cape Coral had been known as a community with a large retirement population. This changed with the population and construction boom of the 1990s that brought in younger families and professionals alike. 20-percent of the population are seasonal residents. Today, Cape Coral is a modern city that offers a wide variety of businesses, retail, and restaurants along its major arteries: Cape Coral Parkway, Del Prado Boulevard, Santa Barbara Boulevard and Pine Island Road.  Geography & Climate Cape Coral is located at 26°38'23?N 81°58'57?W? / ?26.639600°N 81.982471°W? / 26.639600; -81.982471. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 120 square miles (310.8 km2), making it second only to Jacksonville as the largest city in Florida in terms of area. 110.09 square miles (285.1 km2) of it is land and 9.91 square miles (25.7 km2) of it (9%) is water.Cape Coral is a large peninsula and is bordered in the south and east by the Caloosahatchee River and in the west by Matlacha Pass. The city of Fort Myers lies across the Caloosahatchee River to the south, and Matlacha and Pine Island lie across Matlacha Pass to the west. Matlache Pass is home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge and the state's Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve.Canals Cape Coral Florida has over 400 miles (640 km) of canals, more than any other city in the world. Most of the canals are navigable and some have access to the Gulf of Mexico. Cape Coral's canal system is so extensive that local ecology and tides have been affected.  Climate The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration classifies Cape Coral as a subtropical climate. The area averages 355 days of sunshine each year but experiences precipitation on 145 days per year. While the summers are very warm, humid and rainy, the winters in Cape Coral are dry with moderate temperatures. Cape Coral receives about 54 inches of rain each year, the majority of which falls from May to September. During the summer months, afternoon rains are heavy yet brief. The city is affected by the annual hurricane season, which begins officially on June 1 and continues through November.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Coral,_Florida