This is not your typical tourist trap. It's a unique home that attracts the curious. The owner/tour…read moreguide is a perky lady who is renovating the house back to its original splendor and adding her own personal creativity. She talks about the history of the house and her encounters with the spirits of the original owner. Lots of antiques throughout and a few quirky collections. A diamond in the rough with the mystique of an opal. There is an assistant tour guide, Joan of Bark, who is the sweetest, most laid-back pup. Take some time to enjoy this unicorn.

The best house tour I have ever been on! Super cool to hear so many details from the owner of the…read morehouse and hear about her personal experiences in the restoration process.

2100th Review The…read moreCircus Bridge is no ordinary bridge although one wouldn't know it's historic significance by merely looking at it or even driving over it, it's played a huge part in the celebration each and every year in Venice for more than three decades as the animals from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey were unloaded from the circus train each winter and marched across this bridge, the crowds that gathered to watch cheered celebrating the end of a long season entertaining the masses with countless performances. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey wintered at the circus arena near the Venice airport which was finally demolished after years of attempts to preserve it in some way; the building's skeleton had remained in place long after the circus left the site behind in the early 1990s. But in its heyday, in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, the arena welcomed thousands of spectators as well as top circus performers, who rehearsed their new shows here. For residents and visitors, the arrival of the circus train was a memorable highlight of each winter season. On January 14, 2017, it was announced that the circus will be closed forever in May 2017 after 146 years of bringing smiles to millions and will lay off more than 462 employees between March and May 2017. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs and loss of the elephants are among the reasons for closing. On May 7, 2017, its "Circus Extreme" tour will be shown for the last time in Providence, Rhode Island. The circus's last performance will be its "Out of This World" tour at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 21, 2017 and that my friend will be the end to maybe the grandest entertainment icon ever, but this bridge will remain and continue to be ghostly reminder of the past for those that witnessed it's grandeur at the end of each circus season that's until it too will become obsolete and replaced with a concrete span named after some politician who's grand kids will only read about "The Greatest Show on Earth" but never witness it's magic...

DeSoto County was created in 1887 from Manatee County to the west. It is named after the great…read moreSpanish conquistador and Florida explorer Hernando De Soto. The area's original inhabitants were the Caloosa (alternate spelling: Calusa) Indians. In early Florida history, the region was the scene of numerous Indian battles. The county's 416,640 acres offer a diversified economy of citrus, cattle, agriculture and industry. Arcadia is the county seat. I don't have anything to add to Ariel's review of the courthouse. The building was closed on this early Saturday morning and not open for a tour. DeSoto County originally included several other present-day counties until 1921, when the Florida legislature created the following new counties: Charlotte, Glades, Hardee, and Highlands. During World War II, DeSoto County operated the Carlstrom Field Air Base, which provided training for both American and British pilots. In 1945, the base turned out its last cadets and was decommissioned. [Review 16804 overall - 1528 in Florida - 317 of 2022.]

The DeSoto County Courthouse is a historic red brick courthouse designed in the Classic Revial…read morestyle by architects Bonfoey & Elliott of Tampa. It was built between 1912 and 1913 by the Read Parker Construction Company. It is DeSoto County's third courthouse and the second one built in Arcadia. The first DeSoto Courthouse was a wood frame structure built in 1888. The 1912 courthouse that is still in use today was constructed on the same property. The courthouse was restored in 1976 and it is part of Arcadia's historic district which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The W. Henry Lewis House is a wooden two story house built in 1901 in a Queen Anne style . The town…read moreof Fort Meade was incorporated in January of 1885. W. Henry Lewis (1860-1940) arrived to the area in 1883 and from 1890 to 1891 he served as town alderman. He was a successful cattleman and in later years he also farmed citrus. He also held interests in several Polk County banks and helped to organize and served as president of the First State Bank of Fort Meade The Queen Anne style of the home was developed by English architect Richard Norman Shaw for English manor houses and the style was popular in the 1860's. The style is characterized by a large house with steeply pitched roofs and gables. After Mr. Lewis's death, the was purchased by his daughter Virginia and her husband Carlton Marsh. Virginia lived here until her death in 1998. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 2012. The house is a private residence so you can only view it from the outside.

I spotted this bright black marker as I passed through the city of Arcadia. It is located in a…read moresmall park and there is some street parking. The historic district looks lovely and perhaps I will get to spend some time here. It reads, "The Arcadia Historic District comprises fifty-eight blocks within 340 acres that embody the city's development from the founding of its post office in 1883 through the late 1920s. The Town of Arcadia was incorporated in 1886 following the arrival of the first train that year and the area's subsequent growth. In November 1888, voters selected Arcadia as the county seat of DeSoto County, which was established in 1887. The City of Arcadia was incorporated in 1901. The heart of the district is a commercial zone extending 18 blocks and consisting of buildings constructed between 1900 and the late 1920s. Three buildings that survived the devastating 1905 downtown fire, and those that were rebuilt, are generally masonry vernacular in style. The district's most imposing structure is the 1912 Classical Revival courthouse. Residential neighborhoods of mostly frame vernacular homes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries surround the commercial area. Listed on the National Register in 1984, the district retains remarkable historical and architectural integrity as reflected in its churches, residences, and schools, as well as commercial, governmental,and industrial buildings." [Review 12752 overall, 64 of 2020.]

What an outstanding experience to tour this campus! The…read moreguide Jack C is simply amazing. Me & Barby took the one & one half hour tour & really enjoyed it. We found free parking on College St one block away. It cost about $30 & you can get a AAA discount. They give you a small audio ear piece & you can hear Jack in your ear as you walk from building to building. If you're a FLW fan, this is a singular experience.

I'm just here to add to the chorus of voices offering praise for this comprehensive and enjoyable…read moreFLW extended tour. The guide we had was knowledgeable and a great storyteller. I also appreciated some of her strong opinions about the architecture and the architect. Our tour had many delights along our walking/exploring journey. We went a little long, which everyone appreciated, and I was not tempted to look at my watch once. (Pro Tip: The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College is extraordinary, and you will find several local-flavor restaurants nearby.)

Fort Myers area has been booming for the last fifteen years and the quiet watersport town has…read morebecome a beacon for tourists to flock to during the winter to enjoy the water views, fishing, food and jet skiing. We chartered a fishing boat and captain for $600 and caught twenty fish in the Ft Myers intracoastal. The only negative is hurricane season is brutal.

This historic marker is on the site of Fort Myers from which the city takes it's name. Before the…read morefort was here, the land was a Native American Calusa settlement hundreds of years ago. The site is now the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Marker 128 was installed in 1965 by the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials in cooperation with The Southwest Florida Historical Society. Florida became a US Territory in 1821 and forts were built throughout Florida to offer settlers protection from the Seminoles. One of the first forts to be built during the Seminole Indian Wars was a fort named for Lieutenant John Harvie. The fort was reestablished in 1850 and named Fort Myers, honoring Lieutenant Abraham C. Myers who was the son-in-law of the commander of Fort Brooke in Tampa. The Seminole War ended in 1858. During the Civil War Fort Myers was once more re-activated by Unioun troops looking to cut off food supply to Confederate troops in Georgia and to feed Federal troops patrolling the coast off of Sanibel. The Southernmost battle of the Civil War, a fight between Northern and Southern troops occurred across the Caloosahatchee River in 1865. In 1866, Manuel A, Gonzalez and Joseph Vivas took up residence at the recently abandoned fort. Other settlers arrived and this led to a post office when it was platted in 1876. In 1885 of the community of 349 people was incorporated as Fort Myers. Some of the wood from the fort was used in the construction of the downtown buildings.

As a fan of historic architecture I was excited to find this structure on a recent trip to Labelle…read more The house is located at 512 Fraser Ave. next to the LaBelle Nature Park. This historic vernacular one and one and a half story home was built in 1914 for Captain Hendry who fought in the Confederate Army in the Civil War. After the war Hendry became a cattle rancher. Hendry hired self taught builder Benjamin F. Magill to supervise the construction of his home in the town of LaBelle which he founded on the western end of his vast ranch holdings in Monroe County. Hendry moved into the home at the age of 81 with his wife. Due to his poor health, Hendry was only able to live in the house for a few months before moving to Fort Myers for better access to medical care. He passed away in 1923 and his final resting place is a private family cemetery in Fort Myers. When Hendry County was formed in 1923 it was named after Captain Hendry. This is is the only surviving structure left associated with him. After Hendry's death, the house had numerous owners through the years. On February 5, 1998, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The house is not open for visitors. It looks like construction is being done on the stairs and porch. It was still fun to peek in the windows and around the outside. I love the huge wraparound porch. It looks like there are a few period furnishings inside and historic photos on the wall. I saw online that LaBelle uses the grounds for outdoor events and weddings.

Bridges are engineering marvels and this one has quite a bit of history. The original Edison Bridge…read morein Fort Myers was in East Fort Myers at Freemont Street where the current southbound bridge is. Before it was built, the only place to cross the Caloosahatchee was at Olga, about 12 miles to the east. The Edison Bridge was a small two lane drawbridge built to carry the Tamiami Trail over the Caloosahatchee River and connecting to Old Bridge Road in North Fort Myers. The bridge opened on February 11, 1931 on Thomas Alva Edison's 84th birthday. He had a winter home nearby and was on hand to dedicate the bridge and be the first one to drive across it. This bridge operated until 1964 until the Caloosahatchee Bridge, a new four-lane high-level fixed bridge, opened downstream on the other side of downtown. In the early 1990's two separate three lane bridges were built carrying US 41 which is still designated as part of Tamiami Trail over the Caloosahatchee River. The north span opened in 1992 and the southbound span opened in 1993. The bridges connect downtown Fort Myers with north Fort Myers. Interestingly, the two bridges are not parallel to each other. While the two bridges meet at the same point on the north side of the river, they are separated by a few blocks on the south side. The bridges are 55 feet tall so there is no need for a drawbridge. Initially the bridge was going to be built by a private company as a toll bridge but the federal government refused to designate it as part of a U.S. Highway if the bridge had a toll. So, the county purchased the bridge and completed its construction. Today the bridge remains toll free.

The original Edison Bridge opened on February 11, 1931 which would have been the 84th birthday of…read moreThomas Edison. He had a winter home here in Fort Myers and the Edison Winter Estates Museum is not far from here. It is one of a few bridges across the Callosahatchee River between Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Today, the bridge carries US 41 which is also known as the Tamiami Trail. It is made up of two one-way spans the largest of which is 105 feet and the total length of the bridge is just about three quarters of a mile. Unlike some of the other bridges here in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, there is NO TOLL in either direction and that earns it another star from me!

In the longest and costliest of all the Indian wars in U.S. history--the Seminole Indian Wars in…read moreFlorida--today's Cape Coral was the scene of one of the worst slaughters. It happened here, near the foot of the Cape Coral bridge. The marker reads, "Near here on the Caloosahatchee River, a band of 160 Indians attacked the Ford and Trading Post at four o'clock on the morning of July 23, 1839. In the raid led by Chief Chekaika of the Spanish Indians, thirteen soldiers died and fourteen, including Col. William S. Harney, in command of operations, escaped down river. A year later, Col. Harney returned and destroyed Chekaika in the Everglades." The attack was successful because Colonel Harney had spent the previous day fishing and gone to bed too tired to post sentries. The dazed and terrified soldiers tried to get at their weapons but most were shot or stabbed to death before they could get out from under their mosquito nettings. Harney Point is to the south of the bridge. The marker is located in the northern half of the park. [Review 13254 overall, 571 of 2020.]