Cape CoralPronounced locally as "coral" , the reef animal. People from elsewhere sometimes pronounce it as "corral" . is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957, the city's population had grown to 194,016 as of the 2020 census, a 26% increase from 154,309 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-most populous city in Florida. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and Miami in both population and area. It is the largest and principal city in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city has over of navigable waterways, more than any other city on earth.
History At the time of first European contact, during the Spanish expedition led by Juan Ponce de León, the Cape Coral area was inhabited by the Calusa. They are believed to have constructed a canoe canal that crossed the Cape Coral peninsula from Matlacha Pass to Yellow Fever Creek, a tributary of the Caloosahatchee River. The development of Cape Coral since the 1950s has destroyed all evidence of the canal. After Florida became a state in 1845, multiple pioneers started selling and buying land in what is now Cape Coral under the Homestead Act. Cape Coral's modern history began in 1957 when two brothers from Baltimore, Maryland, Leonard and Jack Rosen, flew over the peninsula known as Redfish Point, across the Caloosahatchee River near present-day Fort Myers. The brothers, who were real estate developers, purchased a tract with a small group of partners for $678,000 and in 1958 began development of the city as a planned community.
The Gulf American Land Corporation (GALC) was formed to develop the area. GALC developed a marketing model that was a departure from traditional selling methods. Approval was secured from Lee County to master-plan the entire property into lots. Instead of listing the lots with real estate agents, GALC developed the land sales, dinner-party model, operating from banquet rooms in local hotels. People were invited to attend by offering a free dinner for two. The model, referred to as team-selling, allowed for a well-trained team to close deals in 90 minutes. Buyers would sign a contract and agree to come to the property within six months and cancel if not satisfied. Ezio Valentini, an Italian real estate developer, joined GALC and became director of sales. The program was so successful that offices were opened in 24 states, and an arrangement was made with Gulf American Airlines to fly prospective buyers to the properties from Miami.
Instead of borrowing from banks and lenders, the developers factored the sales contracts to pay for building the infrastructure. Canals were dug (without first obtaining state permits, an omission which later bankrupted GALC), streets paved, houses and businesses built.Newsday, "In Florida, the Pitch Is High and Hard", Robert A. Caro, 1963. Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development. Celebrities were brought in to tout the benefits of "the Cape", as it is known locally. The first building in Cape Coral was the Rosens' sales office. It was built where George's Auto now stands, at Cape Coral and Coronado Parkways. Cape Coral's first permanent resident was Kenny Schwartz, the Rosens' general manager.Miami Herald: "Real estate executive and Jewish leader Kenneth Schwartz dies at 88" By Carli Teproff August 28, 2014 Cape Coral's first four homes were completed in May 1958, on Riverside and Flamingo Drives.
Development continued through the early 1960s, mostly on Redfish Point, south of Cape Coral Parkway. By 1963, the population was 2,850; 1,300 buildings had been finished or were under construction; of road had been built, and of canals had been dug. The public yacht club, a golf course, medical clinic and shopping center were up and running. A major addition for Cape Coral was the construction of the long Cape Coral Bridge across the Caloosahatchee River, which opened in early 1964. Before the bridge, a trip to Fort Myers was more than via Del Prado Boulevard and over the Edison Bridge to cross the river.
The city incorporated on August 18, 1970, and its population continued to grow rapidly until the real estate slowdown that gripped the region beginning in 2008. On September 28, 2022, Cape Coral suffered major damage when Hurricane Ian made landfall nearby.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (9%) is water. Cape Coral is a large peninsula and is bordered in the south and east by the Caloosahatchee River and in the west by Matlacha Pass. Fort Myers lies across the Caloosahatchee River to the east, and Matlacha and Pine Island lie across Matlacha Pass to the west. Matlacha Pass is home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge and the Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve.Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: Cape Coral
Flora and fauna The area supports waterfowl, wading birds, migrant songbirds, gopher tortoises, dolphins and reptiles. Rotary Park is home to wading birds, raptors, butterflies, foxes and other wildlife. Nature enthusiasts can track exotic birds and native fish from the boardwalk at Lake Kennedy and watch the West Indian manatees at Sirenia Vista Park. Cape Coral is home to the largest population of burrowing owls in Florida.City of Cape Coral Official site
Invasive species Cape Coral is home to three invasive species, the green iguana, the spiny-tailed iguana, and the Nile monitor, which was discovered in 2009. The iguanas are found throughout southern Florida and generally do not pose a threat. The Nile monitor is however a large (3–7 feet), fast traveling, fast swimming carnivore with a wide diet, which can include fish, fowl, and small mammals. The city's many waterways work against its capture and provide an easy transportation route around the city.
Climate The city features a borderline tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification: Aw), bordering on a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification: Am). The area averages 355 days of sunshine per year and experiences precipitation on 145 days per year. While the wet season (May to October) is hot and humid with rather erratic tropical downpours, dry seasons (November to April) tend to be pleasantly warm and see only sporadic precipitation. The city receives about 56 inches of rain each year, the majority of which falls from June to September. During the summer months, afternoon thunderstorms are heavy yet brief. The city is affected by the annual hurricane season, which begins officially on June 1 and continues through November.
Demographics
+Cape Coral, Florida – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White (NH)89,535113,476129,01787.53%73.54%66.50%Black or African American (NH)1,8315,6797,5971.79%3.68%3.92%Native American or Alaska Native (NH)2273563500.22%0.23%0.18%Asian (NH)9272,2723,2070.91%1.47%1.65%Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)4860870.05%0.04%0.04%Some other race (NH)1522959580.15%0.19%0.49%Two or more races or Multiracial (NH)1,0452,1506,6491.02%1.39%3.43%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8,52130,01746,1518.33%19.45%23.79%Total102,286154,309194,016100.00%100.00%100.00%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 194,016 people, 69,912 households, and 48,359 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 154,309 people, 56,313 households, and 40,405 families residing in the city.
, Cape Coral was the eighth largest city in Florida by population. Nearly 60% of the population was between the ages of 18 and 64; residents under 25 outnumber residents over 65. Southwest Florida's 18–24 age group is growing at a faster rate than the state of Florida and the United States.Cape Coral Economic Development Office
, there were 74,387 households.QuickFacts USA Census Bureau The median income for a household in the city is $65,282. The per capita income for the city was $34,586. 9.9% of the population are below the poverty line.
As of 2000, 87.18% of residents spoke only English at home, while 7.61% spoke Spanish, 1.70% spoke German, 1.20% spoke Italian, 0.61% spoke French, and 0.41% spoke Tagalog. In total, 12.81% of the total population spoke languages other than English.
Economy The economy in Cape Coral is based on healthcare services, retail, and real estate/construction. The city's Economic Development Office promotes and incentivizes business relocation to Cape Coral. In 2016 the city's top five employers were the Lee Memorial Hospital, Lee County School System, Publix Super Markets, City of Cape Coral, and Walmart.
Arts and culture Mike Greenwell founded an amusement park named Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park that opened in February 1992 and consisted of a mini-golf park, video games machines, a go cart track and other entertainment. The facility changed ownership in April 2019, and it was renamed to Gator Mike's Family Fun Park.
Both city libraries are part of the Lee County Library System. Cape Coral Lee County Public Library had 175,000 books in 2002. Northwest Regional Library holds over 70,000 items.
Parks and recreation Parks and recreation includes: SunSplash Water Park. A beach on the Caloosahatchee River at the public Yacht Basin and Club. Over 30 recreational parks which includes playgrounds, open fields, pavilions, workout equipment, walking paths, and golf courses. Ecological preserves, and an elevated nature trail through Florida mangroves at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve.
Government The city of Cape Coral operates under the council–manager form of government. City Council members are elected at large from seven districts. The mayor is also elected at large and is the eighth member of the council. The mayor presides over council meetings. On January 13, 2021, Mayor Joe Coviello died, and the City Council unanimously decided to appoint a mayor, rather than have a special election. The City Countil voted 6–1 to appoint council member John Gunter to the position of mayor. The City of Cape Coral provides police and fire services within the city.
Education Cape Coral has continuously expanded public and private school systems with high performance standards. Cape Coral is part of the Lee County School District, which is operated by the Lee County Board of Education. , the Board of Education operated 8 elementary, 6 middle, and 5 high schools in the Cape. There are four public high schools in Cape Coral: Cape Coral High School, built in the late 1970s; Mariner High School, which opened in 1987; Ida S. Baker High School, founded in 2004 and named after one of the early principals of Cape Coral High School, which opened in 2005; and the newest, Island Coast High School, which opened its doors for the 2008–2009 school year. Cape Coral has created a municipal charter school system, known as Oasis Charter Schools. The system consists of two elementary schools, Oasis Middle School, and Oasis High School. The charter schools use the Core Knowledge and Cambridge Curricula. Since the system is public, there is no tuition. The municipal charter schools are available exclusively to children who live in Cape Coral.