Celebrating Christmas in the Sunshine State

Merry Christmas

Beach at Cayo Coasta State Park

Trail in Cayo Cosata State Park

Upon leaving Bradenton, Florida we figured we had four days to travel 120 miles to reach Fort Myers in time to celebrate Christmas. At five miles an hour it would take us – well you can do the math. Plus, Peggy had her heart set on stopping at Cayo Coasta Island Sate Park, anchoring in Pelican Bay. With nine miles of beautiful beaches and acres of pine forests, oak-palm hammocks and mangrove swamps, this barrier island park is often referred to as Florida Gulf Coast paradise. Cayo Costa Island is accessible only by boat or ferry. It is possible to see manatees and pods of dolphins in the waters around the 2,426 acre park, as well as a spectacular assortment of birds and animal life. On the island, you can swim in the surf, enjoy the sandy beaches, hunt for sea shells and picnic in the shade of palm trees. The miles of nature trails that crisscross the island provide us plenty of opportunities for hiking and exploring. With so much to see and do, how could I resist stopping for a day!

Peggy Making Christmas Decorations

"Little Lara" Christmas Wreath

This is the first time in 35 years that we did not have children around to enjoy their excitement of opening presents, plus the warm, humid 80 degree weather made Christmas seem surreal. As the mercury rose to 87 degrees on Christmas Day this was the hottest Christmas ever in Fort Myers, according to the National Weather Service. The long days of motoring gave us plenty of time to get into the Christmas spirit. As we traveled down the Intracoastal Waterway we played Christmas music. In the evenings we watched Christmas movies. And, Peggy made Christmas decorations from a Christmas tree branch she found on the dock. We arrived in Fort Myers on Christmas Eve. After getting “Little Lara” settled into a slip we called family to let them know we were safe and to catch up on the holiday happenings in their homes.

We celebrated Christmas with just the two of us...quiet but very nice.  And later attended a dinner theater production of "It's a Wonderful Life".  The play was wonderful and the food was excellent!  

Downtown Fort Myers, Florida
Note the Palm Trees

Fort Myers is a gateway to the Southwest Florida region and a major tourist destination within Florida. The city is named after Colonel Abraham Myers. Fort Myers was one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River as a base of operations against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. During the Seminole Wars, Fort Myers was a strategic location for its visibility and access to Atlantic waterways. After the Wars, Confederate blockade runners and cattle ranchers called Fort Myers home. These settlers prospered through trading with Seminole Indians and Union Soldiers. On February 21, 1866, Manuel A. Gonzalez and his five-year-old son, Manuel S. Gonzalez, became the first permanent settlers of Fort Myers. Gonzales had shipped supplies and carried mail during the war and settled his family near the abandoned Fort Myers to begin the town's first trading post. Gonzalez traded tobacco, beads, and gunpowder, and sold otter, bobcat, and gator hide, to the neighboring Seminole Indians. On August 12, 1885, the small town of Fort Myers—all 349 residents—was incorporated. By that time, it was the second largest town on Florida’s Gulf Coast south of Cedar Key.

Edison's Labratory

Ford's Model T Car

In 1885, inventor Thomas Alva Edison was cruising Florida’s
west coast and stopped to visit Fort Myers. He soon bought 13 acres along the Caloosahatchee River in town, and built a home and laboratory, "Seminole Lodge", as a winter retreat. After the Lodge was completed in 1886, Edison and his wife, Mina, spent many winters at their home in Fort Myers. It was in Fort Myers, Florida that Edison would do the majority of his research and planting of his exotic plants and trees. After testing 17,000 plant samples, Edison eventually discovered a rubber source in the plant Goldenrod (Solidago leavenworthii). Through Edison's efforts, the royal palms lining Riverside Avenue were imported and planted, and would become the reason for Fort Myers's "City of Palms" nickname. In 1916, automobile magnate Henry Ford purchased the home next door to Edison's which he called "the Mangoes". Ford, along with Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison, were generally considered the three leaders in American industry at the time, and often worked and vacationed together.

We enjoyed our visit to the Edison/Ford winter estate with its museum and laboratory.  It was interesting learning about all the wonderful inventions that we take for granted every day. 

"Little Lara" Decorated in Christmas Lights

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, wish you a Happy New Year and pray your coming weeks and months will be filled with joy and happiness. Until next time, fair winds.