Times Square after Ian. Every business on the gulf was wiped out.“Mobile homes, boats, washing machines, parts of roofs and walls and dining room sets were scattered through miles of mangrove
Roads and Bridges to Fort Myers Beach
Dated: July 2 2022
Views: 496
In the 1920s, San Carlos Island was part of the mainland. To get to the Beach from town, you had to take McGregor to John Morris Road in Iona. When you reached Bunche Beach, you took a left and followed the shoreline to where the Coast Guard Station is now. Before the first bridge was opened in 1921, the visitors would leave their cars on the mainland and take a barge across to the island.
When the first bridge to Estero Island from the mainland was opened in 1921, the small fishing village was now available to anyone who had an automobile. Although there was only room for one car at a time to go over the new bridge, 97 cars crossed over the bay on opening day. The island was now open for tourism.
The original bridge was a lift bridge rather than a swing bridge. A bridge tender had a house on the bridge and would open it for boats to pass through. After suffering damage in the 1924 and 1926 hurricanes, the bridge was replaced with the “swing bridge” that served the island for the next 50 years. This bridge was built in Germany in 1927 and was brought to the United States in 1928 originally for use in Jacksonville.
However, the bridge was somehow diverted to Fort Myers Beach sometime in 1928. In 1929 the bridge was installed at the present site of the Sky Bridge. The original bridge was operated by two bridge tenders who would manually pull the large key like lever to open the bridge for boats. It would take about fifteen minutes for the bridge to open and close causing traffic to back up.
Ellie and Bob Bunting
Ellie has returned to real estate sales after spending the last 40 years teaching English at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers She has teamed up with her husband, Bob, who has been a....
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Although Beach Elementary is still standing, the damage to the buildings and the classrooms appears to be extensive. The school, for many years, was the center for community gatherings.
In the 1920s, San Carlos Island was part of the mainland. To get to the Beach from town, you had to take McGregor to John Morris Road in Iona. When you reached Bunche Beach, you took a
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