Cape Coral, Florida: Dreamers & Schemers | Untold Stories
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- Опубликовано: 27 окт 2019
- The first pages of the early history of Cape Coral, Florida were written in the blood of dead soldiers. But its future came to life in the fertile imagination of dreamers. Before the Rosen brothers conjured up this booming city, the Calusa roamed, Seminoles battled U.S. soldiers, Cracker settlers raised cattle and cut timber and rich northerners fled civilizations to hunt and fish.
The sunshine state has a rich and colorful history. For hundreds of years the state has attracted dreamers, opportunists, inventors and fortune-seekers. WGCU's Untold Stories aims to preserve the history of Southwest Florida communities.
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Cape Coral, Florida: Dreamers & Schemers | Untold Stories
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I lived in Cape Coral as a little kid in the eighties. It was hell on earth. My house was one of maybe eight on a long tree-free, vegetation-free, people-free road. Nothing to look at. Nothing pretty anywhere. It was vile. You were either inside a car forever to get anywhere, or at home on that awful street. I was little and I remember how desolate it felt. What a terrible thing that company did to that land.
My folks both recently passed. For some reason seeing all the vintage footage and learning this history has been very comforting.
Sorry for your loss 😞
@@AfricaGeo thankyou💜
Ya know I picked up the same vibe !! My folks bought off Del Prado in 1973 and became snowbirds.....I typically came down 3 times a year over next 10..... my brother currently lives in that same house....Many of my favorite memories come from those first yrs visiting..... did a lot of fishing lol....my mother passed in that home in '99. My brother lived off McGregor for 20 yrs then moved to the Cape house....
My family moved to Cape Coral in 1963. We first moved to a duplex on Edith Esplanade pretty much adjacent to where the Cape bridge
(the first one) now touches down. At the time (just weeks before Kennedy was shot), they were just preparing the Cape side bridge landing just down the street and I remember the neighbor's kid and I
playing on the freshly dozered fill dirt which at some point after settling it was like a gigantic trampoline - the mud would actually bounce underneath your feet - only trouble was if you stood still for just a second you'd immediately start to sink - just like quicksand ! We just thought that was so cool, although we never told our parents because we knew they'd never let us out again, and rightfully so. We were only there a few months and then moved way out on S.E. 1st Pl., out by the only structure for miles around - a gigantic water tower painted like a giant white golf ball perched atop a giant green golf tee. I remember when we would meet people locally and tell them we lived out by the water tower - they'd go, " Oh I know that house, it's the only one out there." I'm relaying these images as coming from the mind of a 9 yr old - we might as well be living in the middle of the Sahara Desert - no houses even in sight - there were no trees at all - and you still couldn't see any houses - no neighbors, no one to play with or ride bikes with - and speaking of riding bikes - you could see a spot that you could walk to, "as the crow flies", in about 5 min., but to ride your bike there could take maybe 15 to 30 min because of all those lovely canals (yes - more than Venice, Italy) between you and your destination - and forget about taking short cuts on a bike across the vacant lots - the only thing other than sand on the ground were tons and tons of very prickly, painful, tire tube puncturing sand spurs - heaven help you if you were riding barefoot or worse yet fall over - yikes !!! As previously stated, I'm relaying this to you from the perspective of a 9yr old - it was one of the loneliest periods of my childhood for 3 yrs till we moved to the Villas in south Ft.Myers just on the other side of the first Cape bridge when you get to South 41, much more kid and bike friendly and neighbors all around. I also remember the first 10 months we lived out by the water tower we found one snake per month on our small lot - usually curled up under rocks to escape the heat - black snakes, garters, coral banded, hog nosed, pygmy rattlers - so much for playing in the dirt. I also remember once Dad was out of town on business and a tornado touched down in the canal behind our house and sucked our swingset into the canal as well as terrorizing us as we all, Mom, my sister and brother all huddled on the couch in the dark fearing for the worst. I'm certainly not dissing Cape Coral now as an adult - it's a great place to live and I went to 4th thru 6th grade ( 4th at Tropic Isles elementary in N. Ft. Myers before Cape Coral Elementary was built, and 5th and 6th at CCE.), and I made alot and still have alot of friends in Cape Coral - I also worked for several yrs from '85 till '89 at my best job and for my best boss ever, Peter Hartleb @ his full service dental lab, Cape Coral Laboratories over on Vincennes Blvd. That time working for Peter were some of the most enjoyable and fruitful years in my dental career. One last ha-ha, (if I haven't bored you to death already - just piques my curiosity if anyone else remembers any of this from over the years - always tickles me to run into someone who does) - back to my last dip in the past for now - I'll never forget shortly after we moved out by the water tower in CC, Mom was driving us (my sister, brother, and I) in our then "brand new" '62 Ford Falcon, I think to THE PUBLIX grocery store on CC Pkwy, and just before Publix was a park on the same side of the Pkwy - if memory serves me it was called "Freedom Park" - well just as we're approaching the park, just passing by on the way to Publix - the traffic slowed to a crawl and we couldn't see what the hold up was, and there were people sitting on this huge man made terraced sod covered "mini coloseum" type structure in the park, waving at us as well as others gathered along the road waving to us as well. Soon we saw horses and heard drums and then we realized, when Mom turned onto CC Pkwy we inadvertently became part of the annual CC 4th of July parade ! We couldn't go anywhere but continue in the parade, so the four of us just started "Queen waving" at the spectators - I only wish we'd had white gloves to wear for the occasion. 🤡 Thanks for letting me share these memories - they're so dear to me now. I revisited SW Fl. a year ago for my 50th Cypress Lake High School reunion - had a once in a lifetime experience I will treasure forever as exactly a month to the day I was there, hurricane Ian hit and destroyed all my "childhood and young adult" stomping grounds", a memory only made possible by the generosity of a dear friend who made the trip financially feasible, allowing me one last leisurely look at my wonderful upbringing in Cape Coral, Ft. Myers, and Ft. Myers Bch, fortunately unaware at the time of seeing it all in it's day to day glory, of what saddness was about to befall my heritage. If you were around at the time of Ian's wrath, you might be aware of a particular boat on San Carlos island that caught some attention as after the storm surge receded, a 42' cabin cruiser came to rest almost on top of Bonita Bill's Restaurant and Grill underneath the Ft.Myers Bch bridge landing on SanCarlos island - my best friend in CC sent me a RUclips video just the other day reporting how even now, a year after Ian, that boat "Bachelor Pad" is still in the same place - stuck on the pilings facing "bow to the stars" with it's stern hovering over the water. The article was about the restaurant owner's hope that the storm surge from the recent storm "Idalia" would possibly refloat the boat and dislodge it from it's precarious perch. The article proclaimed "No such luck" to the restaurant owners dismay. Well that boat belongs to my brother - he lived on that boat and rode the storm out on board - 140 mph winds and a 10 - 14 ft+ storm surge - until they were forced to move to another boat when the last of the mooring lines snapped. My brother and his friends were picked up the morning after the storm and taken to higher ground in N.Ft.Myers.
Lost contact with my brother so don't know what the story is with the "Bachelor Pad". He always was bad about putting his toys away. I so much miss life on Ft.Myers Bch. It was a great place to grow up in and live on. If you're familiar with any of the Ian coverage - there's a RUclips video that's become quite famous - it's an incredible 10hr long non-stop video of the unbelievable stormsurge from beggining to end.
The camera is right on Estero Blvd, just south of the Lani Kai resort. You can see the Lani Kai getting pummeled on the left and you can see, more dramatically if you fast forward while watching, the incredible power and destructiveness of the storm surge - I can't watch without tears streaming - I used to work at the Lani Kai front desk (making many, many fond memories) and if you were facing the camera filming this, if you turned your head 90 degrees to the right, the house I grew up in was the 3rd house on the right on Miramar St. right behind the hardware store on Estero Blvd. I caught a few quick glances of some immediate post storm footage of Miramar St. and I could still see the tip of our roof still standing, but I'm sure the surge destroyed anything left standing. My point in expressing my fondest of memories - don't take for granted what you have today - it can be gone forever in the blink of an eye - it doesn't matter where you live - it's what YOU make of your life that matters, you only get out of life what you invest in it - don't hem and haw about how you'd LIKE things to be - just focus on how to make things the way that suit you, being mindful of others as well, but bottom line - be true to yourself. Thanks for letting me share happy and sad times - it's all been part of a wondeful life - make the best of yours as well. ❤
Thanks for sharing these memories. I never lived in C.C., but spent many years in the Naples, Ft. Myers area. I'd often visit friends in C.C. and from what I saw and footage such as here, I can tell it was once a glorious part of the "real", -original Florida.
You are definitely lucky to have been able to experience it...enjoyed your story. Thanks.
Very cool memories....I began coming to the Cape in spring of '73. Came down 3 times a year from ky for next several yrs...my brother currently lives in the house my snowbird dad bought in '73 off Del Prado
Lots of construction jobs in Lee County from the 70s through the 90s. Great weather in December through March.
my brother retired to cape coral. he decided not to buy and just leased a condo. about 6 years or so after he got there, the condo complex was sold and they kicked everyone out so they could reset the leases. he ended up moving about 25 miles from where it all started and is happy there. cape coral leaves a lot to desire is all i'll say.
My dad bought a winter home in CC in 1973... I was 16, I can still remember crossing the CC bridge for the 1st time...My older brother now lives in that home...
I was born in the hospital on Santa Barbra in 2002 i remember watching the tiny remains of forest get chopped down in north cape near my house as a kid, I was so upset but all the adults I talked to would say “that just how the real world works”
My family moved to Cape Coral in the summer of 1985 from Northern Indiana. We lived in one of the many duplexes off of Skyline Blvd. My first memory of CC was being woken up to the sound of a B-52 bomber flying over our house spraying mosquitoes. It was terrifying. Then going outside into the 1000% humidity and 90° at 10am. It was miserable and far from the mild summers I was familiar with. When to Georgia in 1993 after graduating high school. Not a bad place to grow up, boring and little to do. I've been back a few times and it is unrecognizable from what was there when I was a kid.
Great documentary. Very well done!!!
But where did you end up settling if I may inquire?
First to middle georgia for college, then outside of Atlanta after getting married.
@@nathanwilliams9181 well you found yourself a beautiful state! Be well - and I enjoyed your comments, thanks!
Probably C-130’s that you saw. B52 is not meant as a low level slow flying platform.
Yeah probably. But it scared the poo poo out of my 10 year old mind. 48 hours earlier I was in a small farming town, and now I'm waking up to the beginning of WW3. I could not process what was going on.
My father first took me to Cape Coral circa 1958. There were maybe 50 homes constructed. Earth movers and other heavy equipment everywhere. Visited him in the summer up to 1977 when he died suddenly. Worked at the Rose Gardens one summer. Reflecting back on it all the development was an environmental disaster for the area. Approximately 100 square miles stripped bare sparing nothing. Bulldozers pulled a huge chain between them knocking down every tree. On windy days there were dust storms from all the open sand. Formations of DC-3 planes would fly overhead at 100 feet spraying chemicals to disperse clouds of mosquitos. A disgusting display of contempt for the natural world in the name of profit. Haven't been back there since. I only hope nature has recovered a little and the residents can experience a small part of the real Florida.
Thank you for telling us what it was like. Love hearing REAL history💜
Thank you for sharing a true first-hand account, this truly is enlightening.
Should see what's happened over the last 2 years. 🥲
Mother nature has had her vengeance on Cape Coral sadly
@@matthewgiuliano7498 The historic palmetto/pine forests of Cape Coral withstood hundreds if not thousands of hurricanes over the centuries. When the land developers stripped this ecosystem down to the sand and dug dozens of miles of canals they brought the wind and water of Ian to everyone’s front door. I feel sorry for those who moved here with little knowledge of Florida’s ecology and weather. Some of them probably lost their lives. The rest will never be the same. Let’s resolve to make better decisions in the future.
Very happy to be leaving next week. Florida will not be missed.
based
I’m sure you’re very happy right now Mike
We live in Cape Coral. Great city. Taxes are increasing though at alarming rates. Cape Coral is becoming quite unaffordable for many.
I absolutely love Cape Coral now, would’ve loved to been a settler back in the day all the wildlife in the natural, heaven
I set my eyes to the West Coast of Florida in the early 90's. My destination retirement home would be Cape Coral. We were able to purchase a lot on a canal for a modest price. The planning of the City is and was amazing...dual system water irrigation...I am sad to see the price the environment and wildlife had to pay for what I have today. This film has given me a great background and history of it's beginnings... C,C. is a peaceful and beautiful place to live,...fast forward Hurricane Ian has made a dent on the "life" of Lee County....I hope we learn from past mistakes..Thank You for this film.
Come visit St. Petersburg in Pinellas county and see what a really nice Florida city looks like.
@@jasonlacroix6083 - Well after we finish our back log, we need to take a drive. We have been to Tampa for visiting..
I didn’t realize my Grandparents moved there so soon after it’s founding. grandma loved the Waltzing Waters
I remember that back in the 1960s when I visited my grandparents!
Did waltzing waters continue after this gardens shutdown? I could swear I remember it from visits throughout the 80s
Born and raised. 25 years. Though I got a slight glimpse of the lasting beauty of Cape Coral, I grew to resent the area. Don't get me wrong, it is better than ALOT of places. But the influx of population has ruined it. I couldn't take it. Being a native didn't mean nothing. As a young man, thinking of buying a house and staying in my hometown quickly became a crushed dream. I sometimes regret moving away but then I remember why I left... it's now a tourist zone. People have taken advantage of the location/pricing and made it heir home without having to spend all there life's savings on a place to live just to be here like it is now. I'm grateful for the time my parents gave me there, but it was a time short lived. Everyone can agree that the waters, land, culture, and overall vibe has changed. Good for you if you still live here and hack it. But my old "small town" is like driving through a big city now. I miss old Florida. I envy those who saw it in the past. I love my hometown, but it's just not the same anymore.... I recently went back and it's just clustered roads/neighborhoods, apartment buildings, and storage facilities. 2018-2021 one of the top 20 highest ranked area to move too. Just like everywhere else in Florida now. Hopefully it stays decently great, and people can enjoy it. But I believe otherwise that it will eventually concave on itself. Florida Cracker through and through, but it's not the same anymore.
I doubt any state is the same brother
Welcome to Florida. The government just approve anything that's comes across their desk.
My home town isn't anything like it was when I grew up there, I doubt anyone's is. That said, I love Cape Coral and feel blessed to have a home there.
So, when I was a kid in the 50s, there were {if I heard it right on the video} about 1200 people, now, the population is over 250 K people. I have a family member that lives there, and they were slammed by Ian, not to mention how busy the place is with traffic, etc. I am not a FLA expert, but I think I would prefer a smaller area, like Englewood, Venice, etc., anything that has low population. To each his/her own.
@@birage9885 Venice and Englewood are growing just as quickly as Cape Coral. New developments are going in all over Englewood. Gulf Coast FL is in demand right now.
Love this city. Clean, still a small town atmosphere. Plenty to do here, just put down your iPhone and go outside. 40 year resident
not anymore 😭 a lot of ppl from jersey moving down here
Can't build Car Centric Suburban Sprawl and then be surprised by traffic
Driving straight through to Cape Coral from Lexington Kentucky in 1973.... that final stretch of Highway 41 was Brutal !!! 17 hr drive back then
Born and raised! Wouldn't have it any other way.. living in paradise 🌴💚🦩🍹🍍🌺🦜🥭🍹🐠🏝️🌴🌺🍌🍍
Thanks for sharing this video.
All the wildlife is now gone. All the trees are gone. Lots of retired people with Boats. Not the worst place ever and decent for work. But not my favorite or second favorite place that I've lived.
Not bad for work, bad for good paying work.
Where's your first and second favorite places to live?
Been a homeowner here for 27 years. When we built we were the fourth house on the entire block. We still love it here, but traffic is becoming a MAJOR issue. Unfortunately, infrastructure is expensive and no one likes taxes. There is not enough planned space for additional roads or to widen existing roads. With continued growth and no room to expand it is going to get crowded, more crowded and no plan exists to do anything about it. It's more of a fill it up and worry about it later plan!
Widening and adding lanes to combat traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to fight obesity. CC needs a road diet and alternatives from driving
@@philippians4410 Yep! All the Northern line workers, emergency first responders, search and rescue teams, AND FEDERAL DOLLARS can stay up North.
FUKK FLORIDUH
GET ON THE BOARD AND FILL IN SOME OF THE CANELS, AND BUY UP A STRIP OF HOUSES TO WIDEN THE ROADS, JUST LIKE THEY DO IN OTHER STATES, IT TAKES GUTS, BUT MUST BE DONE OR ALL WILL SUFFER
It’s happening all over Florida. Wellington, Florida is undergoing immense home growth. Our roads can’t take it but city planners are greedy and don’t turn down any builders plans. I’m moving out.
@@alicekramden8640 YES, OVER 1000 PEOPLE A DAY NOW MOVING TO FLORIDA, HOUSING GOING WAY UP, JUST WAIT TILL THE INTEREST RATES GOES DOWN, THEN ALL PRICES WILL GO WAY UP SOMETHIME IN 2025
Shame the developers didn't keep some of the old pine woods......
They don't leave anything ,I tried to go to my old high school.... it's irreconisacible
I remember the Rose Gardens as we called it in the 60's and 70's .The porpoise show had three porpoise were named Rocky Ray and Sandy trained by Jack Scarpuzzie , I know this cause my older brother worked there and i also knew his daughter sherron. Remembering it closing in the mid 70's riding my dirt bike in the run down park . wasn't much on the Cape back then 50 years ago , the cops chased us on the dirt bike and yes no trucks in the driveway.lol.
No mention of the Secretary of Gulf American Company (Cape Coral) having a conflict of interest. He was also County Attorney for the Board of County Commissioners, at the same time. Look at the face page of most of the plat books for Cape Coral, and you will see his signature prominently in two locations.
It makes me so upset. I've only lived in Florida for 44 years. The whole time I've been alive. And I've witnessed the forest region to be wiped out.
Go inland, it's still there.
Very interesting.
Cape Coma is right next to Fort Misery
A little north of Burrito Springs 😂
Hehe cape coma
@@kotahreptilesco.7250 Si senor !!
The problem is the generation born after 1972.
In 1975 recvd a letter from Gulf American Corp wanting to give us a free meal at a local restaurant in Coral Gables Fla in exchange for telling us about Cape Coral land. We went and ate and then subjected to a 3 hour sales pitch. Lesson learned was not accept anything that requires a sales pitch. We didn’t buy the lot and a couple of years or so they filed bankruptcy due to legal problems they had gypping folks.
With gulf access lots selling for $350K and up today I bet you wish you'd bought one
My friend from a small northern Wisconsin town built a home on the far northwest side of CC and i went down to visit him in Jan, the traffic was shocking to me, too many people, nice place to visit but i would never live there. also I lived in Vero Beach for 9 months in 1979 right out of high school and took a drive over there to see how much it changed, it was hard to recognize how much it grew, but I would definitely rather live over there if i had a choice, to me it the beaches were way more beautiful and more to do.
"Give me Cape Coral and let me go home", still remember the advertisement.
Homes here were prizes offered on the original version of THE PRICE IS RIGHT.
Yes they were. Anytime they gave away, "A home in Florida!!", it was always one in Cape Coral.
After reading so many arrogant and self righteous comments on the man made environmental these and other developers made ( by the way I dont see any of you giving up your nice apts or homes, built on that devastation, lol ) I just want to say the following : Its easy to look back in hind sight and blame those that came before us as malignant humans that devastated nature and its resources. But you must keep in mind , it was a different time and place and mentality and for you screen warriors to sit here and criticize these men or others is a bit disingenuous. You all pride yourselves with the latest EARTH saving technology like electric cars while ignoring the devastation that the mining and or farming of the minerals and chemicals necessary to make them run , is at the expense of children laborers in foreign lands at slave wages and treatment and causing harm to nature and the environment itself in far worst ways then these two men did. Instead of looking at the present devastation caused by your arrogance you look back and place the blame on them, while you create new devastation thinking your saving the earth, climate, and bs. smh.
I don't drive
The land that is now Cape Coral wasn't devastated. It was developed. Every single place that people live now was developed from something else.
WELL SAID, PEOPLE ALWAYS CRITISIZE THE PAST MISTAKES LIKE THEY COULD HAVE DONE BETTER AT THE TIME, TIME MARCHES ON AND WE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES, OF THE PAST
@@domcizek THANK YOU MY FRIEND! You would think, that hopefully we learn from our mistakes but looking at the harm they are doing all this solar, wind turbines and electric cars. On one end they want us to buy the stupid things on the other they are having brown outs where we are told to use less electricity because the grid has too many users. Which is it, loll
THE GRID MUST BE IMPROVED, AND THIS IS THE TIM E TO DO IT, WE HAVE NO CHOICE, CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOW NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD ALL COAL, OIL AND GAS MUST BE REDUCED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SOAL WIND AND NUCLEAR AND HYDROGEN IS THE FUTURE, @@desertedenblooms
Much of South Florida and Southwest Florida were developed using similar methods. Actually, a lot of Florida. I bought lots in the Panhandle in the mid '80s. Sold them in the early '00s and basically broke even.
As a young boy my family living in Ft Lauderdale finally relented to the obnoxious frequency of telephone calls "inviting" whole families to visit Cape Coral for a full day that sounded like a free vacation. You were promised to be picked up by car, driven there, given a nice dinner meal, a plane ride over the area, and a swimming pool for the kids. However, while the kids played in the pool the parents were subjected to a Gestapo-like tough sales technique that broke many a poor adult. Fortunately, my father was strong enough to resist this brutalization, but my mother caught the brunt of his disgust as she urged accepting the trip offer as a free vacation to satisfy we four kids. This video is a complete disappointment.
What's wrong with the video?
As a young child living in South Miami in the early to mid 60s , I remember taking a helicopter ride with my father to view land. I’m not certain if it was Cape Coral or further south.
IF YOU COULD DO BETTER, DO IT, OTHERWISE IT IS JUST A HISTORICAL LOOK AT CC, AND THE PAST, DOERS DO, OTHERS COMPLAINE,
It's just not that important to me, Sir.@@domcizek
Cape Coral is a dump. It's the edge of the swamps down there. A few feet of elevation makes a big difference. It's just too close to sea level down there.
I live in Fort Myers. I like going to for Cape Coral for good stores and restaurants. I like it’s diversity.
Most of what is now Cape Coral was what was known as the Matlacha Plantation, owned by the Ogden Phipps family.
The lady is mistaken. Yes, there were many swamps in what is now Cape Coral. That is the reason for the canal network, to provide fill for the lots.
It was certainly a different world back then! We enjoyed many years living in SWFL but recently sold and went more north.....as traffic & overdevelopment, crazy high insurance cost, and more frequent storms has made it less desirable place to live for us. Cape Coral (because of it very low elevation) is just one Cat 4 or 5 Hurricane /12-18' surge away from total destruction !
And the rest of Fla is not 1 surge away?
❤ am so great full i found this city I rise my kids here build my very first home 🏡 I just loved coming from New York to a new beginning was the best for my family ! God bless our city and our neighbors 🫶
Well, nature is trying to take back
I'm from Cape Coral actually I was born in Fort Myers because Cape Coral Hospital had not yet been built didn't find that out until I was like 25 until then I always told people I was just from cape coral lol One thing I can say is that my father aunt and uncle probably had the coolest teenage years ever when my grandparents move them down there and there wasn't much to do there except for fish and party. I personally loved growing up there something about the canals in the salt water and going stone crabbing and saltwater fishing was probably the coolest thing ever. Cape Coral has more canals than anywhere in the world including Venice Italy and yes I did grow up on the main canal where I got to occasionally see dolphins and manatees and stingrays right out my backyard while I was fishing for snapper. And when I go back yes Cape Coral has grown all the way past Pine island all the houses everywhere but when I go back to the area I'm from things still look almost exactly the same just a small neighborhood the kind of place when you grow up your bicycle is like a car you can Latterly go anywhere it's flat, Back then there were plenty of jobs for everybody my grandfather had a very successful construction company there for over 30 years named beavers, over on Miramar Street. I ended up moving with my grandparents as did my aunt up to the mountains of North Carolina where I have been for 20 years I still go back to see my mother occasionally and have traded in my saltwater fishing gear or fast ass street bikes and dangerous roads such as tail of the Dragon 318 turns in 11.6 miles no side roads watch out for locals were the best, No seriously after riding up here for 10 years by myself I finally found the fastest human I've ever found the X national champion of super spotless Michael Dun no seriously after riding up here for 10 years by myself I finally found the fastest human I've ever found the X national champion of super supporters Michael Duncan. If I had kids I would not mind them to grow up there I don't know if the school system is very good I had a lot of issues myself but if I ever get rich I'm going home to buy an old house on the water another boat and live out the rest of my days alone fishing
I agree, great city to grow up in. Just from what you said I'm sure I know your family. Your dad is Mark B, Uncle is Ed B. Aunt Kelly? I hope they and your grandparents are well.
Chuck T.
Excellent documentary. Today is the day after Hurricane Ian that left this area devastated. I a so sorry. So much history. I am particularly sad that they did not save the Garden. I find it interesting that the Bellagio here in Vegas, that later became the home of Leonard Rosen , has a beautiful light water show, that the Rosen brothers had brought from Europe. Ya, never know where an Idea, and action will continue to sprout and hold. I do believe that their heart was in it and it was not just a get rich quick scheme. They had planes and buildings ready to go before the land purchase signature was dry and " if you build it , they will come " . They should have statues erected and on a plaza, they were true visionaries if not very environmentally wise ( no one was back in those days , out of ignorance more than greed ) They deserve to be remembered. We love you Cape Coral and its people , praying for you !
I attendee Caloosa middle school in Cape Coral in 73-75, there wasn’t much there then.
The school with no walls! Some sort of '70s experiment in "modern" class planning which went away by 1980 or so.
So, Babcock Ranch is a newer version of Cape Coral then ? except W/O the canals ?
Not really, it is much more environmentally friendly and did not go scorched Earth like Cape Coral when the land was developed. Also Babcock Ranch is at an elevation of 35 feet, no need to dig canals and use the removed dirt to raise the south cape elevation to 5 feet. In addition, I believe the utilities at Babcock are underground and are linked to the solar facility nearby so Babcock will not be underwater or without power for a month when a cat 4 or 5 with a wall of surge of over 10 or 12 feet actually hits Lee County head on. Cape Coral already dodged 2 bullets when Charley and Irma were near misses. Syd Kitson learned a bit from the Rosen and the Mackles who developed Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, Port St Lucie, Deltona, Golden Gate and other places scattered throughout Florida which were not well thought out in the '50s and '60s. The environmental damage done in cape Coral is likely some of the worst in the state, Babcock still has lots of native vegetation and land set aside for a preserve there. It may not be perfect but definitely more well planned than Cape Coral.
LOVE THIS CITY, ITS "LIVIN THE DREAM", NO PLACE IS PERFECT!!!!
I'll stay on pine island and y'all can keep cape coral. It's been ruined for years....
pine island is next.
Pine island is already fucked with meth heads
@@zannyklips9533 no meth heads in my neighborhood. They know better. Cape I'm sure has more.
@@JohnWilliams-pn7ft would hate to tell you about the late 90s and 2000's there...
I'm here just reading this now, realizing that IAN probably took most of the homes on pine island. So sorry.
It makes me so mad. How Florida has been destroyed by all these jerks
FLORIDA HAS OVER 700 PEOPLE A DAY MOVING HERE AND NEED SOME PLACE TO LIVE, THAT IS THE PROBLEM, IN THE FUTURE ONLY THE RICH WILL LIVE IN FLORIDA,
Lehigh acres was like that I m glad I saw it
My grandfather bought an acre there in the earth 60s..$1000
Sold it in 93, it was only worth $1300. 11 inches under the soil was solid coral, or petrified coral, limerock.. to costly to develop..
I helped install some water main pipes in Fort Myers and it was a nightmare
My Dad moved to Florida in the late 50's, and established a furniture store in Delray Beach, and bought a house in Pompano Beach. In those days, Boca was basically an intersection, with the Boca Raton Club along the Intracoastal. In 62, he built a new store building on Federal Hwy, North side of Delray. He ended up buying a house in Ocean Ridge on A1A (North Ocean Blvd). His last house was on Hilton Head. Over the years, from north of Palm Beach to South Dade was one strip of cities, and building to the west past US441. We visited Ft Meyers in the 60's, along with Sanibel Island. In any case, South Florida is mainly development after development. It's far too populous for my tastes, a flat concrete jungle. In the late 50's to the 60's, it was still desirable, but now places like Ft Lauderdale and Boynton/Delray are overcrowded. Must be all the New Yorkers consider them to be uncrowded. I prefer Upstate South Carolina. We have seasons here, it's not all sand, and we have trees, not just pines. Low mosquito count, not nearly as many bugs, like the deceptively named Palmetto bugs (Big, industrial sized cockroaches) that are found along coastal areas in SC all the way to Florida. We don't "pahk the cahh" or have "haght attacks" in these parts. Sorry folks, I'm not a Florida fan. It's too commercialized down there. Some of it is downright tacky. Cape Coral looks to me to be just another development scheme, such as along the coast of Palm Beach, Broward and Dade Counties.
Appreciate your opinion, I currently live in Lake Worth which borders Boynton Beach. Becoming more crowded than ever, and more expensive than ever. A fun place to be, but maybe not forever …
@@penumbra1450 Did you go to Seacrest High?
Lived there, left there. No thanks, if I ever miss rude New Yorkers, brown water, 0700 weed whackers, mowers, leaf blowers, and overbearing local government, I'll head back.
The only thing we don't vote Democrat here lol
@@magodeoz1084 Trump Train, woo-woo!
@@magodeoz1084 Is great to go to Florida and see how much freedom they have to express they political views pray that is kept like this forever
@@fabycasasola9088 The freedom to be as stupid as you want to be. They are very free and very stupid in Florida
Oh and nobody has insurance because they don’t have to, they’re free lol
Boring suburban city. No real entertainment. Only drinking establishments. Tiny beach with dirty water. Very residential. Del Prado Blvd and Pine Island Rd have all the businesses, the rest is a boring village. Horrible planning. No trees at all.
Kin folk said Jed move away from there 🤠😞. Weather sucks!
9:39 Before Jordon Peterson...
Haaaa >> money shot of the whole film.
My grandmother and grandfather had a home there.
My dad worked for GAC as a salesman 😮
Lives there from 2008-2022
Such a tragedy the way we treat the earth. Now the bill is due.
I like peaceful areas of Florida. Who needs mega highways anyway.
Ahhh yes , the city where they cater to snowbirds and not the locals
Absolutely!!!
Yankees
Then leave.
We use to call Cape Coral Home of the new ely weds and nearly deads....👍😎
Great Historical video. But, known now The original People of South Florida did not come from across from the across from Russia to FL. Those tribes came much later.
Unrestricted greed and development has destroyed Florida. It was a paradise
It was a swamp.
Now do the same assessment of New York. Then Los Angeles. Any city or any place people live anywhere. You need to bulldoze to build. There's still plenty of nature around. More than enough swamp in Florida.
. Not the same .
I think the native people cursed the land before they were forced out.
I prospered off post of deushawakii river
Same story all these older generations really screwed up the environment and didn’t care. Now all the newer generations have to deal with it.
It's simple. Stop buying houses where they are destroying the environment. You're just a guilty as the older generation.
The cape is ok now that the housing market is much improved.
the city entirely flopped. kids are so bored, theres only strip malls and houses. we have to go to north fort myers or fort myers for any kind of entertainment. sigh
You sound boring
this is true, I moved here two years ago and I am bored as hell
Tell me what do you do in fort Myers or north fort Myers for entertainment ? You do realize that. NO matter where you live there is only so much for you to do the cape has a lot more to do then a lot of places across the country. Tell me what do you want ? Really I want to know what do you want to keep you entertained? If you like the outdoors you have hunting fishing boating kayaking hiking people ride 4 wheelers jet skis. You have bowling , put put golf , gator mikes with rides, game room ,batting cages, zip lines. You have sun splash water park. You have golf, basketball courts , you have a downtown with bars, and restaurants, , tell me what do you want ? As a kid what do you want ? I grew up in New York as a kid we didn’t have half the shit you have. We entertained ourselves. Kids get bored when they have 50 toys in front of them. It’s just what being a kid is.
You need to venture out to Pine Island. Launch your boat from Pineland marina.
@@user-td7xf3gz4l no i just leave cape anytime i want to actually entertain myself
really cool info i was born in cape coral and i know nothing about cape coral or lee county or even florida hell i ws born there and have only been in flordia maybe 15 hrs in my hole life lol one day i would love to go there but i wont go to any state where cannabis is still illegal not worth the risk and no point in going if im just going to be sick the hole time
Sounds like a tourist trap
Disney put a squash on Cape Coral Garden 🐭
Our only Refuge and Hope is in the Son of God, He spoke Truth Forever, please Forgive, and Pray for everyone...
Now hurricane Idalia
I always through it was a ugly city, two wide spread, no defined city center , boring grid street pattern, not enough tree lined streets, neglected abandon golf courses, no real commercial waterfront area, just a development that was not planned well, it is slowly resembling a third world community, Ft Myers is a better area, I get depressed when i go to the cape, also what is this stupid mail in toll payment system, talk about a business killer , who thought of that one, at least install a change machine for paying the toll, i don't go to the cape anymore, i just don't want to be bothered sending a toll through the mail, then you have to go get a money order and a stamp, etc
You pay online like the rest of the modern society. Who writes a check these days? Are we in the 80s? Where do you even buy stamps?
Not planned? What florida city was ever planned? Maby coral gables? Winter park Ybor City St Pete and Tallassee but the rest is just random developments. Florida doesn't know what planning is.
There are both Tarpon Point and Cape Harbour for commercial waterfront, and both are beautiful, plus everyone gets all up in arms when they propose more. 7 islands and Bimini Square are on the way and and everyone is freaking about about the Red Fish Pointe proposal. The only depression I associate with Cape Coral is destruction and loss from Ian.
Purposely kept secret ... The Perfect Old Florida city trying to stay secret. Unfortunately it is growing fast.
Hurricanes with massive storm surges would inundate residential areas built around canals. Vulnerability will lead to unaffordable insurance premiums.
Therein belies the paradox. They wanted to keep Cape Coral a smaller community yet the folks of today just want to expand and make even more money than their predecessors 😡. Lovely area that I always enjoyed back in the day.
wow it's hilarious how the narration is written and the interviews are edited to sugarcoat how those avaricious rosen monsters ruined the area with zero foresight
Too damn expensive
Unless things change the ocean will swallow it.
Cape Clorox
I wish my parents were roped into buying land and a house there.
I live here and it kinda sucks ass so don’t feel too left out
@@allieevans7520 I live here and it's awesome. Depends probably on where and how you live.
i got a bite from a brown calusa once -once
brown recluse
What about ais indian 😮
Poison Chinese drywall. A while back they couldn't give those houses away.
Definitely the ugliest grid system ever designed
The developers from the North ruined the area by digging ugly canals. They shaved the land and not much grows there.
So they made the area into swamp land
Sad
Where did the word "cracker" come from? How was it that the people who homesteaded there came to be called crackers?
Because they were unusually stupid and racist...
Probably owing to the Neg
Cracker came from the cowboys cracking their whips while moving cattle through the area. Florida is the number two beef producing state behind Texas.
Im from cape coral and its not the BEST city, but now its actually not that bad and i can usually find things to do
Wow this video didn't age well.😔
They ruined Florida with greed
Cape Coral. A 20 year prison for me full of mob mentality shunners.
I coined the term Cocaine Cape Coral.
Actually that goes for all of Lee county. Throw a few dollars at them and they will bleed their children. Good thing I'm here to raise the bar.
I’m native to the area and love the nature. But Cape Coral history past and present lacks appreciation for its diverse populations. One might think the Rosen’s planned it that way🤔
There is no “diverse” population. It was White people who built the city and the country. Being a 90% White country until 1965 is not “diverse”
No offense, but Cape Coral doesn't have a diverse population, the population is 88% white compared to 75% for FL and 62% for the nation as a whole.
Cape Coral - A dumpster fire from day one! 😂
This is the most boring is City in America if you look at the date don’t let the mayor and the government for you there’s a lot of old people and I don’t have anything against old people but they hate any Youth centers because the seniors won’t let them build the schools because it won’t benefit them
Actually we have a ton of recreational programs if you want to look for them. I remember taking for granted the beaches, malls, and central location. Go check out Captiva, Bokeelia, and downtown Punta Gorda. You are right across a bridge to FORT MYERS. Sky Zone, Nature Centers, Alliance for the Arts, ICE SKATING IN FLORIDA. My apologies for your boredom. LOL
So where does everyone work? Real estate prices are cheap there!
Yes but you can’t get insurance
If a dumpster had a name, it would be named Cape Coral.
Ura dumpster...
Funny
That is how you do it,when you have inferstruter you will find it much easier to sell.