greater Naples Leadership masters class xxiv

Naples Past, Present and Future Day October 30, 2019

Session Day Materials - Table of Contents

A. Goals & ObjectivesB. AgendaC. BiographiesD. Volunteer OpportunitiesE. Location and DirectionsF. Supplemental Reading ListG. Collier County Historical Milestones

(please click on a heading to be directed to that section in the document)

Dress Code: Business casual chosen for comfort in air-conditioned rooms and walking.

Please bring an umbrella if rain is in forecast.

First Venue: Collier County Museum at Government Center3331 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, FL 34112

Second Venue: Inn on Fifth (Queen Palm Room, Second Floor) to include a walking tour of area.699 Fifth Avenue S, Naples, FL 34102

Session Leaders: Donna Raab, Sharon Genin, Geri McCarthy, Cortland McKee

A. Goals and Objectives

ï Review our history from the earliest Native American communities, first invaders and early pioneers to the visionaries who came and saw a future “paradise”.

ï Inform participants about major historical events, places and people that influenced the development of Southwest Florida.

ï Become acquainted with some of the excellent museums and historical sites at our doorstep.

ï Outline development of SWF (and Rural Lands East)

ï Understand elements relevant to the growth of downtown Naples (5th Ave renewal)

ï Develop an interest in investigating volunteer opportunities in Naples and Collier County.

Centralizing Theme: Naples and Collier continue to exist within an atmosphere of growth and change.

B. Naples Past, Present and Future Day Agenda

7:30 Meet at Collier County Museum for light morning refreshments.Please allow up to 20 minutes from the hi-rise parking garage across the street from museum.(see Section E for address and directions). The best parking location is in the “Facilities Management – building W” lot, which is just across from the Museum entry.

Wear your GNL name tag.You will be seated by zip codes, which could be useful for future car-pooling. Please find your tent card.

8:00 Welcome: Gunther Winkler, Class Chair

Introduction of Session Day Leaders Donna Raab, Sharon Genin,Geri McCarthy, Cortland McKee

Introduction of Naples Past, Present, and Future

8:10 Icebreaker Questions re: Summer Readings

8:25 Introduction: The Geography of Southern FloridaTodd Turrell, President of Turrell, Hall and Associates

8:50 Question & Answers

9:05 Comfort Break

9:20 Introduction: The Founding Years of Olde Naples, 1885 – 1916 and Beyond

Lodge McKee, Local Historian

10:10 Questions & Answers

10:20 Introduction: Naples History as seen through its 5 MuseumsAmanda Townsend, Director of Collier County Museum

10:45 Question & Answers

11:00 Time to become familiar with the many offerings found at this venue. (includes time for Comfort Break)

11:20 Depart in cars to Inn on Fifth and lunch venue (see Section E for directions and parking instructions). Do not use the valet parking service at the front door on 5th Avenue. Use one of two parking garages on 8th St. and 4th Ave S. or 8th S. and 6th Ave. S.

11:45 Luncheon is served buffet style at the Inn on Fifth

(Royal Palm Room) 12:30 Introduction: Outlook for Growth

and Rural Lands EastAndy Solis Esq. Collier County Board of Commissioners

1:00 Question & Answer

1:15 Comfort Break

1:30 Introduction: Historical Perspective: Changes and GrowthPaul Arsenault, Artist, Historian

2:00 Question & Answers

2:15 Introduction: The Economic Development of 5th Avenue and Elements of Downtown Growth

Phil McCabe and Bruce Barone

2:45 Question & Answers

3:00 Final Perspective: Donna Raab

3:10 Wrap up – Complete and turn-in

evaluations: Gunther 3:20 Walking Tour of new

developments on Fifth Ave. South

4:15 … Master Class XXIII welcomes Class XXIV with a Wine and Cheese reception at the

Inn on Fifth. (Queen Palm Room)

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C. Biographies

Todd T. TurrellTodd T. Turrell, P.E. is a graduate in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University. He went on to earn his MBA and Professional Engineering Certification from the State of Florida. Leading a diverse group of marine and terrestrial scientists and a technical staff at Turrell, Hall & Associates, Inc., Todd specializes in marine and environmental consulting and is known for innovative and realistic solutions on environmental issues. In addition to Todd’s experience in Florida, he has been involved in many marine engineering and environmental projects in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and around the world.

Todd is passionate about his work and belongs to numerous organizations, including the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Florida Marine Industries Association and the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA). As a licensed pilot and diver, Todd incorporates personal interests into his work with ready access to the islands and aerial/underwater photography for his projects. Todd’s mostrecent project is the publication of his book, A History of the Bahamas Through Maps which tells thefascinating story of the Bahamas using beautiful antique and modern maps as a backdrop. The book is laid out and fashioned after his successful 2009 book, Naples Area Waterfront-Changes in Time, which traces our coastal history, including many maps from the past.

Amanda Oswald TownsendAmanda Oswald Townsend has served her community in Collier County government for 18 years. She was the Director of the Domestic Animal Services Division and the Operations and Veteran Services Division before assuming the leadership role at the Museums two and half years ago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from New College of Florida and a Master of Arts in American Studies from the University of Alabama. Her professional and academic interests are in place studies and material culture, with a focus on Florida and the Twentieth Century.

Lodge McKeeLodge has been an annual winter visitor to Naples since 1948 and moved here permanently in 1970. During the last 47 years, he has served on boards and assisted various history-related organizations including The Old Naples Association as founder and first president, the Naples Planning Advisory Board for 6 years, 3 as chairman and the Collier County Historical Society 16 years, serving 4 years as president. He was also involved with the Collier Historical Commission, the Collier Automotive Museum Advisory Board, CAM and REVS Institute, Volunteer Organizations for 29 years and where he served as Director and Chairman.

Lodge was the founder and director of the Friends of the Collier County Museum for 10 years, and served as Director and President of the Southwest Heritage, Inc., the non-profit corporation which acquired and preserved the Naples Depot Museum. He served as faculty for Greater Naples Leadership and Leadership Collier for many years. He is an active Broker-Associate with Premier Sotheby’s, Old Naples Office, where he draws on over 43 years of experience in the Naples Real Estate market.

Andy Solis, Esq.Born in Lakeland, raised in Gainesville, a graduate of Florida State University law school in Tallahassee (where he also was a clerk to Justice Ben Overton of the Florida Supreme Court), a resident of Naples since 1993, a proud parent to 2 graduates of Collier County’s public schools (and soon to 2 graduates of Florida’s outstanding public university system!) – County Commissioner Andy Solis has deep connections to Florida and to our beautiful Collier County.

In addition to serving as a Director with the law firm of Cohen & Grigsby and as a Board member of the Council of Hispanic Business Professionals, Andy has worked with many local charitable and non-profit organizations. Over the years, he became increasingly involved with economic development efforts in Collier County, serving on, among others, the Planning Commission, the Opportunity Naples Implementation Committee, and the Partnership for Collier’s Economic Future before being elected a County Commissioner in 2016.

Currently, Commissioner Solis serves as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, as the chair of the Value Adjustment Board, and as the alternate to the Public Safety Coordinating Council.

“I am committed to ensuring the responsible management of the County’s growth, stewardship of its natural resources, and to working to diversify its economy so that Collier County will remain the best place to live, work and play.”

Paul Rudolph ArsenaultA native of Montreal, Paul Arsenault grew up in Hingham, Mass., where his love for the sea and travel emerged. Following his graduation from the Art Institute of Boston in 1973, he began a 6-month stint as a deckhand on a research vessel. He signed off in Florida in 1974, and began his professional painting career. With Naples as his base, he has embarked on painting trips to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, the South Pacific, Indonesia, Australia, Hawaii, and Europe. His heartfelt connection to the Hawaiian Islands, which began in 1984, has resulted in a commitment to reside and work in Hana on Maui for up to 6 months of the year.

Paul’s early exposure to and knowledge of working ports and exotic harbors, along with his talent for immediately zeroing in on the essence of a place, have made him a popular choice for commissions requiring extensive yet efficient travel. Paintings from his travels hang in public places and in private and corporate collections around the world. To great acclaim, he has recently painted and installed a 72-foot mural at the Naples Yacht Club.

Bruce Barone Jr.Executive Director | 5th Avenue South Business Improvement District

Originally from Stamford CT, Mr. Barone has been a resident of Naples for over 18 years. He graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University and went on to earn a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Miami. Most recently attending Harvard, to study Urban Retail Policy and Design.

Mr. Barone has an extensive background in new media, PR, and design, with experience developing and deploying marketing and advertising campaigns on a regional and national level.

Recent highlights include:

ï Gulfshore Business - 40 Under 40 Class of 2018 memberï Florida Gulf Coast University - Alumni of Distinction in 2018 & 2019ï Naples Daily News – "Top 10 People to Watch in 2018"ï Youngest member of the Naples Chapter of Legatus International for Catholic

Executives & CEO’s

Most importantly, he has been married to Lauren Barone for eight years, and is the father of Bruce Barone III. The family is expecting their second son, this September.

Philip Joseph McCabeBorn in 1947 in the blue-collar neighborhood of Dorchester in Boston, Massachusetts, Philip Joseph McCabe was literally raised in the attic of his parents’ overcrowded one-bath home, along with his five siblings. At the age of 19, with the Vietnam War nearing its height, Phil left to join the Air Force, never to return to his native Boston.

While overseas, Phil worked in the field of intelligence, becoming a specialist in the analysis of the Russian missile space program during the Cold War. For his services, he received an honorable discharge from the Air Force after serving four years, primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Upon his discharge from the Air Force, Phil was given the opportunity to join the Central Intelligence Agency. He accepted their offer, and after training at CIA headquarters, was stationed in northern Iran, directly on the border with Russia. During his next four years working overseas, Phil saved every penny he could, knowing he was not meant to be a career CIA employee. In 1975, he resigned his position with the CIA to pursue his real passion – entrepreneurship.

Phil soon returned to his New England roots, ending up on the Maine coast. It was there, at the age of 29, that he used all of his savings – $25,000 – to purchase a bankrupt lodging business on the beach. Phil had found his calling and busily set about growing his new business, heading down a path that would lead to a lifetime of entrepreneurial success. As he worked to restore the bankrupt property, Phil’s fortunes grew steadily, culminating a decade later in a multimillion dollar enterprise. After a dozen years of operation, Phil decided to expand his hospitality business in the Sunshine State. After painstaking research, he set his sights on Southwest Florida, sold his accumulated Maine holdings, and brought his earnings to Naples, Florida.

Building on his early success, and with a keen eye for opportunity, Phil found and purchased several acres of land in north Naples, with the ambition of building his first boutique hotel. In 1986, he opened the Inn of Naples, a small boutique property with a restaurant. It was an instant success. After six years of operation, Phil built a second boutique hotel called the Inn at Pelican Bay, which was also an immediate success. Another six years later, still with boundless energy and ambition, Phil converted an old bank building in downtown Naples where he developed and opened the Inn on Fifth, still an extremely

successful enterprise today. For 15 years the elegant Inn was home to McCabe’s Irish Pub & Grill, a favorite local watering hole that became a Naples institution.

In addition to the wildly popular McCabe’s Irish Pub & Grill, Phil has built, opened and operated several other successful dining establishments, including Garden Court Café, Windows on the Water, McCabe Brothers Steak House, Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, and Avenue5. The boutique Forbes Four-Star Inn on Fifth & Club Level Suites are landmarks in Naples, having been recognized in travel publications and ratings worldwide.After accumulating land and buildings, and developing and managing numerous commercial and residential properties, Phil’s instincts, vision, energy and years of success in Naples enabled him to initiate one of the most significant projects of his career.

In December 2012, the Inn on Fifth put the finishing touches on an $18 million expansion project, which added new luxury suites and meeting and retail space, and a $1.7 million renovation which completely redesigned the look and feel of the property. The largest redevelopment effort on Fifth Avenue South since the start of the 2008 financial crisis, the milestone project involved the construction of a new three- story, 40,000-square-foot building directly across from the Inn’s familiar Fifth Avenue South location. The building includes 32 Club Level Suites, an executive boardroom, and 12,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level, anchored by Chase Bank and Boston Proper, a division of Chico’s. Part of Phil’s vision and care for the community was to improve all of the streets around the new expansion with better street lamps and landscaping. With its elegant, contemporary feel and prestigious Forbes Four-Star rating, the Inn’s Club Level Suites set a new standard of luxury on trendy Fifth Avenue. The Inn on Fifth has also earned high acclaim following the expansion and renovation, including AAA Four Diamond, Conde Nast Johansens and Forbes Four-Star Travel rating.

It was in 2014 that Phil combined his vision with the talents of world-renowned designer Jeffrey Beers International to create Avenue5, a new luxury restaurant at the Inn on Fifth. With seating for 240 guests in a vintage glam atmosphere, the $3 million Avenue5 features a stunning island bar, private dining rooms and a phenomenal culinary team, befitting the higher standard of excellence and elegance Phil had created at the Inn. In 2017, after Phil received an offer he couldn’t refuse, Avenue 5’s space was leased to Ocean Prime, an award-winning modern American restaurant and lounge from renowned restaurateur Cameron Mitchell. Opened in December 2016, Ocean Prime, now one of Naples’ dining hotspots, complements the Inn on Fifth and elevates Fifth Avenue as a dining destination.

Phil’s latest vision has led to two new projects that will bring more dramatic change to downtown Naples: The Inn on Fifth Residences, a standalone five-star property with 51 suites and 54 condominiums; and Fifth and Fifth, a half-acre, mixed-use development of luxury residents and retail space, located directly on Fifth Avenue South. In addition to these Naples projects, Phil is reaching back to his Maine roots where he started his entrepreneurial career. He has recently assembled more than 60 contiguous acres in the prestigious Cape Arundel neighborhood in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he plans to develop residential homes.

Along the path of hard work and success, Phil has been blessed with two sons – Philip, 18, and Joseph,20. Phil instills in his boys the importance of giving back to the community, doing so by example. Thus far, he has awarded more than 70 scholarships to worthy Collier County students through the “Take Stock in Children” program of the Collier

Education Foundation, one of his favorite charities. Phil is also a major donor to the Community School of Naples, where his sons attended. He also supports many other area non-profit and cultural organizations, such as the Community Foundation, the Gulfshore Playhouse, the Naples Community Theater, and Fun Time Academy.

As a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce, Phil was instrumental in the relocation of the Chamber from a dilapidated building into a new, world-class facility. He then facilitated the relocation of

the Chamber Visitor Center into its highly visible successful current location on Fifth Avenue South. He was former chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency in the city of Naples, guiding the city through some dramatic changes, such as residential zoning within historically commercial parts of the city that had been failing, and bringing miles of landscape beautification to city and county medians. He was also among the original group of volunteers to extend the landscape beautification of the entire county.

Phil was a major advocate for creating a city of pedestrian-friendly streets, sidewalks and connectivity. He has served on numerous boards, including the Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency, helping implement similar changes to struggling parts of the county. His other board involvement includes leadership roles with Naples Better Government; the Remington Association; the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Association; the Heart of Naples Committee; the Bay Colony Association; the Arrabelle at Vail, Colorado; and the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District. Phil is currently president of the Business Improvement District Owners’ Advisory Committee, and was named Man of Distinction for being a community leader and advocate for high-risk children. Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida also chose Phil to be inducted as a laureate into the 2012 Business Hall of Fame of Collier County. While driven by a fierce entrepreneurial spirit, Phil McCabe has always cared about his community, never failing to share his time, talents, and resources where most needed, and helping to deliver some of the highest quality development projects in Naples.

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D. Volunteer Opportunities

Collier County Retired Senior Volunteer Programhttp://www.colliergov.net/go to “ I want to ...volunteer” tab

Collier County Museumswww.Colliermuseums.comHit volunteer tab under “Connect” for all five museums: Collier County Museum, Immokalee, Pioneer Museum, Marco Island Historical Museum, Museum of the Everglades, Naples Depot Museum.

Friends of Collier County Museumshttp://www.foccm.com/

Holocaust Museum of Education Center of Southwest Floridahttp://www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org/

Naples Historical Society, Palm Cottagehttp://www.napleshistoricalsociety.org/

Old Naples Associationhttp://www.oldnaplesassociation.com/

Collier County Websitehttp://www.colliercountyfl.gov/your-government/advisory-boards

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E. Location and

Directions First

Venue:

Collier County Museum at Government Center 3331 Tamiami

Trail E.Naples, FL 34112

239.252.8476

(located in the southeast corner of Collier County Government Center)

Click on map to make live

Turn off Tamiami Tr. E onto Espinal Blvd. (first light past Airport Pulling Rd. going toward Marco Island just north of WalMart). Park in Employee Parking Deck on left. Cross over Espinal onto Museum property. Leave plenty of time to accommodate walk time from parking deck to Museum. Use Lecture Hall Entrance (just past regular Museum entrance).

Second Venue:

Inn on Fifth 699 Fifth Avenue S. Naples, FL 34102

Click on map to make live

Directions from the Collier County Museum to the Inn on FifthExit the museum grounds via Harrison Road (900 feet). Turn right on Tamiami Trail East and proceed2.3 miles to Fifth Avenue S (follow the signs to “Downtown”).At the corner of 5th Avenue South/8th Street traffic light you will have two choices for free municipal parking. Your best choice is to turn right at the 8th Street light, proceed about 30 feet, then turn left into the parking deck. After parking, walk south on 8th Street to return to 5th Avenue S. On 5th Avenue S make a right, walking about 150 feet to The Inn on Fifth.An optional parking choice is to make a left at the 8th Street light, drive one block south and enter the parking deck that is on the left side of the street. After parking, walk north on 8th Street to return to 5th Avenue S. Go left on 5th Avenue S, walking about 150 feet to The Inn on Fifth, which is across the street.GNL Session, Naples Past, Present and Future is on the second floor, in the Queen Palm Room.

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F. Supplemental Reading List

A Brief History of the Everglades City Area, Marya Repko

A Guide to Historic Sites in Collier County, (2014), Collier County Historical Archaeological Preservation Board

Angel of the Swamp: Deaconess Harriet Bedell in the Everglades, Marya Repko

A Jolley Good Tale, (2011), June Jolley Dyches(Reflections on growing up in the Everglades and Naples from the 30’s-50’s)

Collier County Historical Milestones, compilation document in GNL session day material

Florida’s Last Frontier: The History of Collier County, (1966), Charltan W. Tebeau

Founding of Naples, (1985), Ron Jamro (former director of Collier County Museums) and Gerald L. Lanterman

Grandma of the Glades: A Brief Biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Marya Repko

Hidden History of Everglades City and Points Nearby, Maureen Sullivan-Hartung

Lighthouse Project: History of Collier County and the City of Naples,

(2013), Naples Daily News online Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County

Women’s Literary Society, (2012), novel, Amy Hill Hearth Naples: A Second

Paradise, (2013), Lila Zuck (The History of Naples)

Naples Beach Homes: Cottages, Castles and the Families that Built Them, (2015), Robert and Carol Leher

Naples’ Oldest Tradition- Swamp Buggy Days, (2009), Lila Zuck

Preserving Naples: A vision plan, (2007), Allington-Marlowe, www.naplesgov.com, www.oldnaplesassociation.com

Women in the Everglades: Pioneers and Early Environmentalists, Marya Repko

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G. Collier County Historical Milestones

500BC – 1700AD Calusa Indians populate area. As warriors, they repel Spanish efforts (including Ponce de Leon) to defeat them. Their shell mounds remnants can still be found today.

1200AD – 1400AD Calusas create an engineering marvel by digging a mile-long, 40 foot wide canal for safe water transportation from the Bay to the Gulf (in the area now known as Old Naples).

1817 – 1858 In 3 wars, the Seminoles fight the Government from moving them. The Third Seminole War is fought in Collier County. The few survivors find refuge deep in the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. Only 200 Seminoles remain today. The Federal Government does not recognize the Seminole Tribe until 1956; the Miccosukee Tribe is recognized in 1962.

1860-1870 Joe Wiggans and Roger Gordan come to the Naples area and “squat” on the land for a while.

1870 William Smith Allen becomes first permanent occupant of Everglades City.

Captain William T. Collier comes to Marco from Tennessee.

1873 Captain Dick Turner settles on Turner River, giving it his name.

1876 First full-time Naples residents Madison and John Weeks arrive and run a fish camp at Gordon Pass.

1885 Civil War veteran General John S. Williams and his friend Walter N. Haldeman, owner of the Louisville Courier-Journal, “discover” what they think of as paradise and pronounce the pristine peninsula between the Gordon River and the Gulf of Mexico as the site of their new winter resort town – Naples.William H. Brown comes to Immokalee to live.

1886 A group of Florida business men in Tallahassee form the Naples Town Improvement Company and buy 4,275 acres of land for $3 per acre.C.G. McKinney comes to Chokoloskee.

1887 The first plat of Naples is filed in Ft. Myers and lots are offered for $10. President Grover Cleveland’s sister, Rose Cleveland, buys two lots for $20.Ted Smallwood settles in Chokoloskee.

1888 Captain William D. Collier becomes Postmaster of Marco.The Naples Pier is built.

1889 The Naples Hotel opens (located in what is now the Tommy Bahama parking lot) and becomes the social scene of early

Naples.1890 Walter N. Haldeman buys 8,600 acres of Naples, the hotel, the pier, boats. etc., for

$50,000. (He was the only bidder at the auction.)

George W. Storter Jr. purchases Everglades City from William Allen for$800.

1895 Walter Haldeman builds “The Annex” – a cottage to help with overflow guests from The Naples Hotel. It is what is now known as The Historic Palm Cottage, a treasured and respected symbol of Naples history.

1901 Naples and Ft. Myers are connected by telephone.

1902 Walter Haldeman dies in Louisville, KY after being struck by a trolley car. He was reported to have been over 81 years old.

1906 Ted Smallwood builds a trading outpost in Chokoloskee; he is also appointed postmaster, a position he holds for 35 years.

1908 Captain William D. Collier invents a clam dredging machine.

1910 A hurricane destroys much of the first Naples Pier.

1912 Wealthy entrepreneur Barron Gift Collier sails on his yacht to Useppa Island buys it and continues to buy land in SW Florida – eventually totaling more than 1.3 million acres by 1923, becoming the largest landowner in Florida.

1913 E.W. Crayton, a real estate executive from Ohio, helps form the Naples Improvement Company, taking over the development of Naples from the Haldeman heirs, and for the next 25 years carefully guides the growth and development of Naples.

1917 A barely passable road is completed between Ft. Myers and Bonita Springs.

1919 Renowned botanist, Dr. Henry Nehrling moves to Naples to start a botanical garden at what is now known as Caribbean Gardens (at the Naples Zoo).First commercial building built in Naples to serve as a commissary – the Historical Mercantile Building now houses Campiello restaurant on Third Street in Old Naples.

1923 Barron G. Collier successfully gets Collier County incorporated as Florida’s 62nd county. The County Flag & County Seal (with wild turkey) is adopted.Collier County Commissioners have their first meeting in Everglades City at the Rod & Gun Club and issues $350,000 in bonds to build the Tamiami Trail.Collier County’s first bank, The Bank of the Everglades, opens in Everglades City.

1923 The County’s first newspaper, the Collier County News, begins publication. It will later become the Naples Daily News.

1925 First meeting of the Naples Town Council, even though the Town is incorporated a year and a half earlier. The first mayor, “Speed” Menefee resigns 15 minutes into the meeting. Judge E.G. Wilkinson becomes takes the reins.

1926 The Atlantic Coast Line reaches Naples and in January 1927 – the “Orange Blossom Special” steams into town becoming the area’s first passenger train.

1928 Barron Collier completes the Tamiami Trail to the East coast. It is the first paved highway from Tampa to Miami.

1929 First 18-hole golf course and adjacent Naples Beach Club built by Allen Josline (heir to Jergens hand lotion fortune) located along what is now known as Gulf Shore Boulevard.

1932 Naples Woman’s Club is founded and dedicated to enhancing the community through philanthropic activities and volunteer services. Its mission continues today.

1938 The ferry boat to Marco Island is replaced by a new bridge and highway across Marco Pass.

1939 Collier County’s founder, Barron Gift Collier, dies in New York City at the age of 65 of a heart attack.

1943 Florida’s first commercial oil well is drilled south of Immokalee and produces 1,400 barrels of oil a day.Naples Airdrome is built at the site of the Naples Airport and becomes the Naples Army Air Field, averaging 90 training missions a day.

1946 Schlitz Brewing Company begins construction on a water plant and water system for the city of Naples.Henry B. Watkins, Sr. from Ohio buys the Naples Hotel, Naples Beach Club and Beach Club Golf Course. It is now known as the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, and still owned and run by the Watkins family.

1947 Everglades National Park is established; President Harry Truman comes to Naples for the Park dedication.Naples buys the Army's air field, which becomes the Naples Airport; Provincetown-Boston Airlines assumes management of the airport – Miami is now just 30 minutes away.

1949 Naples becomes a city. W. Roy Smith becomes the first “official” mayor and serves seven terms.

1949 The first official Swamp Buggy Race is held in Naples with more than 50 competitors participating. Ed Frank developed the first Swamp Buggy in 1947 with huge airplane tires and 4-wheel drive to enable him to travel anywhere in the Everglades. Swamp Buggy racing is still popular today.

1950 The Naples Mosquito Control District is created.

1951 Formal opening of the Women’s Club

building. Glen Sample begins development of Port Royal.

1954 The Naples Art Association is formed.

1956 Naples Memorial Hospital, with 50 beds, opens its doors; it later becomes Naples Community Hospital.

1960 Hurricane Donna hits Naples on September 10th, no one is killed, but the Pier is destroyed and millions of dollars in property damage.

1964 Construction on Alligator Alley begins. It opens in 1968 with a 75 cent toll.Raymond Lutgert begins the Park Shore project, turning 760 acres along 1.25 miles of Naples coastline into the first planned unit development in Florida.

1965 The Collier County Conservancy is formed and $300,000 is raised to begin purchasing the Rookery Bay properties.

1967 Naples schools are desegregated.Gulf American Land Corporation begins developing Golden Gate Estates amid controversy over selling swamp land and damage to the environment.

1969 Jungle Larry’s (now the Naples Zoo) was established on the Caribbean Gardens botanical site as one of the few American zoos where exotic wildlife roams freely in a natural habitat similar to the wild.

1976 State and Federal officials win a three-year battle to deny permits to the Deltona Corporation which would have destroyed 3,200 acres of Marco Island wetlands; in 1982 the Supreme Court denies an overruling.

1982 The Historic Palm Cottage in Old Naples is named to the National Register of Historic Places.

1983 Southwest Regional Airport opens in Ft. Myers.

1985 The Ritz Carlton Naples opens, and The Registry Hotel (now Naples Grande) follows a year later - welcoming a new tourism era in Naples. Many visitors go on to purchase homes and condos in Naples, spurring a building boom.

1989 The Naples Philharmonic Center (now known as Artis – Naples) celebrates its grand opening -- the multi-disciplinary, nationally recognized arts organization was spearheaded by Myra Janco Daniels.Collier County adopts its first modern-day growth management plan.

1991 Arthrex Inc., a manufacturing company that makes orthopedic surgical supplies, moves its headquarters to Naples from Munich,

Germany. It now employs more than 1,400 people in southwest Florida.

1992 Hurricane Andrew whacks Collier County causing $30 million in damage.

Completion of re-routing Interstate-75 onto Alligator Alley (State Road 84), providing a 4-lane link between Naples and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami.

1994 Marco Island Historical Society is formed.

1995 Florida Gulf Coast University breaks ground; the $40 million school opens in 1997 with 2,654 students.

1997 Marco Island incorporates to become Florida’s 398th city.

2000 Naples Botanical Garden purchases 170-acres with a gift from the Kapnick family; today this world-class venue includes six cultivated gardens, 2.5 miles of walking trails, and 90-acres of restored native preserve.

2001 Cleveland Clinic opens $57 million, 70-bed hospital – it later becomes Physicians Regional Medical CenterNaples Wine Festival inaugural; it becomes one of the premier fund raising events in the world - proceeds go directly to The Naples Children & Education Foundation. It has raised over $135 million for at-risk and underprivileged children to date.

2005 Southwest Florida International Airport moves to new terminal at a cost of $438 million.

2007 Ave Maria University has a grand opening and 601 enrolled students.

2010 Collier County population (321,520 per US census) increases from under 3,000 in 1930; estimated 2014 population per US Census is 348,777.

2013 Hertz announces it is moving its world headquarters to southwest Florida, and begins construction on a 300,000 square foot, $50 million office building to accommodate at least 700 jobs in the Naples/Bonita Springs/Estero area.

2015 The historic Naples Pier, an iconic landmark, undergoes a major $1.5 million renovation.Naples/Marco/Immokalee metro area is named the 10th fastest growing metro area in the United States according to the US Census Bureau.

2017 Hurricane Irma does significant damage to Collier County effecting Flora and Fauna, buildings and the Naples Pier.

2018 Naples earned the highest score for well-being and is one of the top cities for happiness. Collier County is the second healthiest county in Florida for the 5th year in a row. This is partly due to the presence of the Blue Zone Project in Southwest Florida.

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