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History of Cape Coral, Florida
The Seminole Indians first settled the land that was later to be known as Cape Coral. In 1872, the U.S. Government opened the land along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River and across from Fort Myers to homesteading. John Powell and his family were the first white settles to move to the area, which at that time was known as New Prospect. Powell and the other homesteaders fished, hunted, farmed and raised livestock. In addition, theses pioneers traded with Key West by schooner. Throughout the decades, the area remained the same, a handful of settlers working the land for a living. It was a hard life and settlers came and went, with only a few residing for more than a few years.
Then, in 1957, two brothers, Leonard and Julius Rosen from New York, purchased over 15,000 square miles of land known at that time as Redfish Point. These land speculators believed that the property's location on the Gulf Coast provided beautiful weather and endless opportunities for waterfront living. The Rosen's dream was to build a modern city that would attract people from all over the world. They dug over 400 miles of canals in the city. This massive waterway system created hundreds of miles of shoreline making each waterfront backyard into a boater's paradise. The Rosen's laid out streets, made plans for shopping areas and commercial development. The brother's named the new city Cape Coral. In 1958, a huge marketing program was launched to promote Cape Coral. At that time, premium waterfront home sites were offered under $2,000.00. (Today, these same lots start at $150,000.00) This campaign resulted in the sale of nearly all the building sites to people, the majority of which lived in other states.
Cape Coral (known locally as the Cape) was incorporated in 1970. The city continued to grow over the years. Cape Coral features thousands of waterfront homes on canals including many with direct saltwater access to the Gulf of Mexico and Charlotte Harbor. Cape Coral has extensive recreational activities, incredible shopping, excellent schools and top rated hospitals. Cape Coral is rated as one of the safest places to live in the country. The Cape boasts several golf courses and many marinas, which offer boaters every service imaginable.
Most recently, Cape Coral has seen another building boom. Growth has pushed development in all directions on the Cape. However, through careful city planning and efforts to monitor and accommodate the growing influx of new residents, Cape Coral successfully maintains its charm and small town quality. It seems that everyone has discovered what residents already know; that Cape Coral is a little piece of paradise. So, as Leonard and Julius Rosen had planned so many years ago, Cape Coral is now one of the most attractive and unique communities on Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast.
Location of Cape Coral
At 115 square miles Cape Coral is the second largest city in Florida, but it is only the 11th largest in population. Cape Coral is a large peninsula of land bordered by the Caloosahatchee River on the East and Matlacha Pass on the West. It is located between Fort Myers to the South and Pine Island to the North. The city is conveniently located about a 30-minute drive from Southwest Florida Regional Airport.
Real Estate in Cape Coral: Many Choices!
Cape Coral Real Estate offers diverse properties. You can choose from a permanent home, an investment home or a vacation home. Single-family homes, condominiums, investment lots, golf course properties, gated communities, waterfront homes and new construction are some of the properties available in Cape Coral. Many great local and national builders are developing new home communities in the Cape Coral area right now. These communities offer active adult or family friendly neighborhoods. No matter what type of real estate you are seeking, Cape Coral has an incredibly wide range of choices to offer you. As Cape Coral Real Estate specialists, we will be able to assist you in all aspects of buying or selling your home.
Things to do in Cape Coral
Cape Coral boasts several public, semi-private and private golf courses. Cape Coral has restaurants, interesting shops and historical sites to visit. Within a few miles of Cape Coral, you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Fort Myers Beach and the surrounding islands of Sanibel, Captiva and Bonita Beach offer more than 50 miles of pristine white sandy beaches overlooking the breathtaking Gulf of Mexico.
The most unique feature of Cape Coral is its 400 miles of canals. This massive waterway system has created hundreds of miles of shoreline making Cape Coral a boater's paradise. In addition, Cape Coral features numerous lakes, basins and a varied selection of marinas. With thousands of canals including many with direct saltwater access to the Gulf of Mexico and Charlotte Harbor, there are incredible fishing and boating opportunities available. Sailing, kayaking, power boating, water skiing and can be enjoyed. Canoeing, swimming, beaching, hiking, nature tours are some of the other outdoor activities that are available almost year round!
Weather in Cape Coral
One of the most attractive features of Cape Coral is its terrific year-round weather. The area averages 335 days of bright sunshine. While the summers are warm, humid and have afternoon rain showers, the winters in Cape Coral are absolutely beautiful.
The area receives about 53 inches of rain per year, the majority of which falls from May through September (the raining season). The afternoon rains usually roll in with heavy downpours. Then, the sunshine reappears and the heat returns until the cycle begins again the next day. The winter months are more tranquil. The average temperatures during the summer months may reach 90 while the winter temperatures are more moderate averaging around 75-80
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