The first hotel appeared around this time, and small ferry services connected the island to the mainland. Visitors came to fish, picnic, and camp. Fort Myers Beach was beginning to shift from frontier to playground.
Bridges to the Mainland: Opening the Island
Before the mid-1920s, reaching Estero Island required a boat trip. In 1921, a toll bridge finally connected San Carlos Island (just east) to the mainland, and in 1928, a second bridge linked San Carlos Island to Estero Island. This transformation changed everything. Roads replaced sand tracks, vehicles brought more tourists, and property values rose. For the first time, Fort Myers Beach became accessible to casual travelers.
Entrepreneurs quickly saw potential. Fishing lodges, small inns, and cottages multiplied. Coconut palms were planted, docks extended into the Gulf, and “The Beach” became a favored retreat for winter visitors from the Midwest.
The Great Depression and the Struggle for Survival
Like much of America, Fort Myers Beach faced hardship during the 1930s. Tourism slowed dramatically. Many families relied again on fishing and local trade. Yet this period also preserved the island’s natural charm, as large-scale commercial development stalled. Residents banded together, building churches and schools, maintaining a small but resilient community bound by shared hardship and love for their surroundings shutdown123