local history

In this installment from the StoryCorps Mobile Tour visit to Fort Myers in March 2024, we hear former CEO of the Dr. Piper Center Melissa Bonner and Shavon Chester, a member of the Center’s Board of Directors talk about the remarkable life, work and legacy of Dr. Ella Mae Piper, and the center’s ongoing social services outreach.

"In my life, I have found myself as a colored, a negro, a Black, an African American, and a person of color. This is my reflection as a colored girl." This phrase opens each essay heard on WGCU FM from Martha R. Bireda, Ph.D. Dr. Bireda is a writer, lecturer, and living history performer with over 30 years of experience as a lecturer, consultant and trainer for issues related to race, class, and gender, working with educators, law enforcement, and business, and civic leaders. Bireda also is the Director of the Blanchard House Museum of African American History and Culture of Charlotte County, located in Punta Gorda, Florida. The audio series, "Reflections of a Colored Girl," will be featured weekly on WGCU FM for the next five months. This is the first.

The city of Fort Myers went through a dramatic metamorphosis in the early 20th century from a largely frontier cow town to a thriving metropolitan center…

The city of Fort Myers went through a dramatic metamorphosis in the early 20th century from a largely frontier cow town to a thriving metropolitan center…

This Sunday marks the Easter Holiday and here in Southwest Florida residents are gearing up for a long-held tradition in Fort Myers that today attracts…

The city of Fort Myers’ public art collection dates back to 1913 and today includes 68 outdoor artworks. These pieces serve as familiar landmarks for…

With Christmas just days away, family and togetherness are prominent themes and thoughts on the minds of many as they prepare to celebrate the holiday.…

Wars, hurricanes, railroads and a variety of other factors played key roles in the historical shaping of Fort Myers, but in his latest book, author and…

If you’ve ever visited Fort Myers Beach or Sanibel Island in Lee County you are likely familiar with the name Summerlin. We recently received this Curious…

The island of Cayo Costa off the coast of Lee County, north of Captiva, is only reachable by boat, and most of it is a state park offering primitive…