Fort Myers, built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians that were massacring the area's few settlers, 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, 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 and runs between The Beau Rivage Condominiums and Alta Mar, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west.

The first settlers arrived in 1866, but it wasn't until 1882 when the city experienced a significant influx of settlers. By 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, it was the second largest city only to Tampa on Florida's west coast.

Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the building of The Royal Palm Hotel in 1898. But what really sparked the city's growth was the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge built across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924. After the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city.

Fort Myers is the current spring home for the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins baseball clubs. The city holds the distinction of being the host of five different Major League Baseball franchises who've gone on to win the World Series following spring training in Fort Myers. The Philadelphia Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals compose the five along with the city's current two spring residents.

• 44 Elementary Schools K-5
• 4 Elementary Schools K-8
• 16 Middle Schools
• 13 High Schools
• 18 Special Centers & Vocational
• 21 Charter Schools

• Barry University
• Edison State College
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Hodges University
• Nova Southeastern University
• Rasmussen College
• Southwest Florida College

• Edison and Ford Winter Estates
   
• The Lee County Sports Complex in South Fort Myers, which includes Hammond Stadium, home of the Fort Myers Miracle baseball club of the Florida State League, and spring training locale for the Minnesota Twins. The Gulf Coast League Twins also play at the Lee County Sports Complex. The Florida State League will hold the 48th annual Florida State League All-Star Game at Hammond Stadium in June 2009. The league’s mid-season classic returns to Fort Myers for the first time since 2003.
   
• The Boston Red Sox hold their spring training at City of Palms Park close to downtown Fort Myers. It is also home to the Gulf Coast League Red Sox.
   
• Fort Myers hosts the Florida Everblades ECHL hockey team at Germain Arena, and Florida Firecats af2 arena football.
   
• For the golfing enthusiast, the Fort Myers Area (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Lehigh Acres and Sanibel Island) is home to over 50 of Southwest Florida's renowned 130 public and private golf courses. Florida's great weather combined with the scenic and challenging nature of these courses makes the area an excellent stop for the vacationing golfer.
   
• The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is a private, not-for-profit, environmental education organization. Set on a 105-acre (0.42 km2) site, it has a museum, three nature trails, a planetarium, butterfly and bird aviaries, a gift shop and meeting and picnic areas.