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It is astounding that in a
little over 100 years, Naples has changed from a relatively unknown
area into the well-planned and thriving city that we know today. This
"Bit of History", compiled by Jean Molhoek, provides a glimpse
of Naples' past.
When Florida gained its statehood in 1821, most people thought of
Southwest Florida as an area of wilderness and swampland. It was Walter
N. Halderman, owner-publisher of the Louisville Courier Journal and
General John S. Williams, a prominent Kentucky politician, who "discovered"
Naples in 1885 and promoted the area as a refuge for Northerners who
would like to escape the bitter cold winters. It is believed that
the first sunset reminded the two gentlemen of similar sunsets in
Naples, Italy, thence the name Naples came into being.
We are all familiar with the beauty and harmony of present day Naples,
but the city and the state of Florida had very humble and simple beginnings.
It's earliest inhabitants were small bands of aboriginal Indians who
moved into the peninsula. Their main diet was shell food found along
the shallow water, a fact made clear by the enormous shell mounds
that are still visible today. These mounds of shells, which are now
protected, were used by the early settlers as road building material
and also for the cement that was in the early buildings referred to
as "tabby".
In 1513, Ponce de Leon recorded that he sighted sand hills
and then returned in 1517 to claim the area for Spain. In 1763,
the Treaty of Paris gave Florida to the English. Even though
most of the Spaniards left for Cuba, the remaining few intermarried
with the Indians and fought during the First Seminole War (1810).
Their defeat culminated in the United States' acquisition of
Florida in 1821. It is generally believed that approximately
200 Indians, descendants of those families, are currently living
in the Everglades area and living and working in Collier County.
For the next 25 years, a few traders and squatters were living
in and around Naples. Records show that there were ten families
living near Everglades City and that there were two business
houses in the area. The first construction in Naples, in 1889,
was the building of a 16-room hotel and the 600-foot-long
Naples Municipal Pier. The Pier enabled large boats to dock
at the end, and to become a popular place for fishing and
watching the sunsets. Halderman's family continued with the
development of Naples until 1914, when
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Seminole leader, "Billy" Bowlegs 1858, Courtesy Florida
State Archives |
The Naples Hotel, January 1906 looking east from the Pier.
The boardwalk served as rails for a small car that transported
luggage and supplies.
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E.W. Crayton purchased the business. Under his
leadership of 25 years, he turned Naples into the beautiful
and well planned city as it is today.
The Naples Hotel was expanded and became the center of the social
life of the winter guests. Around 1922, after a single lane
shell road was built between Ft. Myers and Naples, the city
slowly began to grow.
A 10-passenger bus traveled the 45 miles in around 5 hours,
allowing time for repairing flat tires and digging the vehicle
out of the sand. A small golf course was built and was replaced
in 1932 by the Naples Golf and Beach Club which still stands
today. |
Without roads to the larger cities to the north
and east, Naples was destined to remain a small town. It was
the vision of Barron Gift Collier, a successful advertising
magnate, that would ultimately change the future of Naples.
Collier visited southwest Florida in 1911 and purchased Useppa
Island on his first visit. For the next ten years, Collier envisioned
a land of great opportunity and laid out a plan for the part
he would play in its development and potential growth. In 1921,
he started to fulfill his plan and for the next two years continued
to purchase land. Collier eventually owned over a million acres
in southwest Florida.
When the Florida Legislature convened in 1923, Collier presented
his plan for the new county. He promised to provide better
drainage and transportation, promote the area for new settlers,
and most
importantly, to finish the uncompleted Tamiami Trail. The Trail,
which started in Tampa and continued south to Fort Myers had
no possibility of linking to the 43-mile trail in Dade County
without major funding. It was Barron Collier who provided the
capital to complete this necessary link to the East Coast.
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Barron Gift Collier, 1983-1939. Courtesy,
Collier County Historical Society
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Officers and airmen from the
Naples Army Airfield on their monthly Sunday outings on Naples
Beach., May 1944. Courtesy, Collier County Historical Society
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The impact of World
War II had a major influence on the future of Naples. With the
need of training centers for pilots, Collier County and Naples
joined forces to provide the necessary property for an airport.
The service men that were stationed at the air field experienced
the relaxed life style and beautiful weather in Naples and many
returned after the war to make Naples their new home.
During
the next decade, new streets, homes, beach restoration and
a mosquito control program were established. There were many
families who contributed time and money to provide recreational
areas such as
Cambier Park, Caribbean Gardens, Delnor State Park, Lowdermilk
Park and Fleischman Park. The citizens by subscription, opened
a full equipped and accredited hospital. The elegant Third
Street South shopping area was built. The Conservancy was
formed to preserve Briggs Nature Center and The Rookery Bay
area. The building activities of this era attracted new business
such as banks, restaurants, real estate and retail businesses.
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In 1970, the population in Naples was 13,000 and specialty shops closed
from May 15 to October 15 with the proprietors leaving the area.
The population doubled during the winter months providing an
active social life in the few established private country clubs
and private homes with cocktail parties, dinner parties and
fund raising benefits.
During this growth period, the Earl Frye family moved to
Naples. Frye soon joined his friend Wes Downing and formed
a real estate business. David E. Frye, his son, continues
in the family tradition as president of Downing-Frye Realty,
Inc. Downing-Frye Realty has experienced phenomenal growth
and is now the largest real estate office in Florida.
As Naples continues to grow, new developments and golf courses
abound. Third Street and Fifth Avenue are flourishing as well
as recently developed shopping centers in North and East Naples.
Stores that once closed during the summer are now open year
around. New schools are being built to keep up with the demand
of young families.
With all the growth and changes happening in Naples, it is
gratifying to know that the image that attracted the first
settlers still stands true today. Naples continues to be a
beautiful, relaxing place to live with beauty and harmony
abounding for all of us to enjoy.
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