Protohistory and European contact (500–1799) The area that is now Lee County has several archaeological sites that show evidence of habitation by peoples belonging to the
Caloosahatchee culture (500 to 1750 AD). By the time of European contact, the area was more specifically occupied by the
Calusa. After European contact, fishermen from Cuba and other Spanish colonies set up fishing camps, known as
ranchos in Spanish, on the southern portion of the Gulf Coast of Florida. These
ranchos extended from
Charlotte Harbor south to
San Carlos Bay and the mouth of the Caloosahatchee. Likely established in the latter part of the 1600s, they were precursors to the larger European settlements that would be established in the following centuries. As the 18th century came to an end, the Calusa who had once inhabited the area were replaced with the
Seminole (see also the
Spanish Indians). In particular, in 1799, an Indian agent noted the existence of a Seminole town on the "Cull-oo-saw-hat-che" or Caloosahatchee River.
Fort established (1850s–1860s) After Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821, a number of American settlers moved into the
Florida Territory, causing conflict with the local native tribes. Several military and trading posts were established near the Caloosahatchee River during the
Second Seminole War.
Fort Myers was built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians just prior to the
Third Seminole War (Billy Bowleg's War). The fort was named after Col.
Abraham C. Myers, who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort's establisher and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle,
Holata Micco (Chief Billy Bowlegs) and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and the fort was abandoned. Billy's Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west. In 1863, the fort was reoccupied by federal troops during
the Civil War. In 1865, in the
Battle of Fort Myers, the fort was attacked by a small group of Confederates from the
Cow Cavalry. The Union's garrison, led by Captain James Doyle, successfully held the fort and the Confederate forces retreated. After the war, the fort was again deserted. The fort was later disassembled and some of its wood was used to build parts of downtown Fort Myers.
Settlement and early growth (1860s–1920s) During the Civil War, Fort Myers was occupied by federal troops with the intention of disrupting the Confederate cattle supply from Florida. In February 1865, it was the site of the
Battle of Fort Myers. The first settlers in Fort Myers arrived in 1866. In the 1870s, Tervio Padilla, a wealthy merchant from the Canary Islands, came by way of Key West to Cayo Costa and established trade with natives and "ranchos" that extended northward to Charlotte Harbor. His ships often made port at Cayo Costa at the entrance to the harbor. Enchanted by the tropical island, he eventually decided to settle there. Padilla prospered until the outbreak of the
Spanish–American War, when his fleet was burned and scuttled. He then turned to another means of livelihood – fishing. When the government claimed his land, he was disinclined to set up another ranch, so moved with his wife further down the island and as before, simply homesteaded. The Padilla family is one of the first pioneer families of Lee County and many still reside within the county, mainly around the Pine Island area. In 1882, the city experienced a significant influx of settlers. In 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, its population of 349 residents made it the second-largest city only to Tampa on Florida's west coast south of Cedar Key, even larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time. Lee County was formed in 1887 from
Monroe County, with Fort Myers serving as the county seat. Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the opening of the Royal Palm Hotel in 1898, built by
New York City department store magnate Hugh O'Neill. Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of
Thomas Edison, as well as
Henry Ford. In 1923,
Collier and
Hendry Counties were created by splitting these areas from Lee County. Construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge, built across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924, sparked the city's growth. After the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city. Another airfield was constructed in 1942 called
Buckingham Army Airfield. The base was closed down in 1945, after which the barracks served as classrooms for Edison College until 1948. Following the end of World War II, the Royal Palm Hotel was closed permanently, and in 1947, the hotel on the corner of First and Fowler was torn down. To accommodate the region's post-pandemic population boom, the airport launched a major $1.1 billion terminal expansion in the mid-2020s. This project, which includes the construction of a new Concourse E and a consolidated security checkpoint, officially broke ground on its second phase in late 2024. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, Lee County's population grew by approximately 13.2% to over 860,000 residents, driven largely by domestic migration.
Infrastructure and redevelopment In the wake of recent storms, the county undertook massive infrastructure hardening projects. In 2023, construction began on the replacement of the
Big Carlos Pass Bridge, converting the aging drawbridge into a 60-foot fixed-span structure; the project was scheduled for completion in the summer of 2026. Additionally, the
Sanibel Causeway, which was severed during Hurricane Ian, underwent permanent resilient repairs that included sheet pile walls and elevated roadways, fully reopening to the public in May 2025.
Hurricanes On August 13, 2004, the county was struck by
Hurricane Charley, a
category 4 storm, particularly impacting the northwestern islands of
Captiva and
Gasparilla. On September 10, 2017,
Hurricane Irma struck as a
category 2 storm, causing widespread flooding in
Lehigh Acres and
Bonita Springs. On September 28, 2022,
Hurricane Ian made landfall as a
category 4 storm, becoming the deadliest hurricane in Lee County history with over 70 confirmed deaths. The storm obliterated the
Fort Myers Beach pier and historic cottage districts, leading to a wave of redevelopment that replaced older structures with modern, elevated resorts such as the Margaritaville Beach Resort. In late 2024, the recovery was tested by two consecutive storms.
Hurricane Helene (September 2024) pushed significant storm surge into coastal properties, filling pools with sand but causing less structural damage than Ian due to updated building codes. Less than two weeks later,
Hurricane Milton (October 2024) brought tropical storm-force winds and tornadoes to the county, though the newly reinforced Sanibel Causeway remained passable for emergency vehicles. ==Geography==