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Bonita Springs, Florida

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56-578: Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida , United States. The population was 53,644 at the 2020 census , up from 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area , on the state's southwest coast. Bonita Springs' history dates back approximately 8,000 years, with evidence of early inhabitants including the Calusa Indians. In the 1870s,

112-612: A U.S. territory in 1821, a number of settlers moved into Florida, causing conflict with the local Seminole Indians. Fort Myers was built in 1850 as a military fort to fend off Seminole Indians during the Seminole Wars . The fort was named after Col. Abraham C. Myers , who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort's establisher and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle, Chief Billy Bowlegs and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and

168-723: A center of tourism in Southwest Florida. It is about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River . Lee County is the home for spring training of the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball teams. The area that is now Lee County has several archaeological sites that show evidence of habitation by peoples belonging to

224-557: A computer and 87.2% of households had a broadband internet subscription. As of 2010, 78.99% of residents spoke English as their first language, and 15.19% spoke Spanish, 1.28% French Creole (mostly Haitian Creole,) 0.88% German, 0.59% Portuguese, and 0.55% spoke French as their main language. In total, 21.01% of the population spoke languages other than English as their primary language. Lee County's stronger economic sectors include construction, retail, leisure, and hospitality. Hertz moved its headquarters from New Jersey to Estero in 2016,

280-424: A family was $ 53,436. Males had a median income of $ 31,227 versus $ 25,358 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 37,958. About 6.2% of families and 10% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those aged 65 or over. In 2009, 16.7% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 4.1% had

336-569: A fast pace. Cities with high population densities are, by some, considered to be overpopulated, though this will depend on factors like quality of housing and infrastructure and access to resources. Very densely populated cities are mostly in Asia (particularly Southeast Asia ); Africa's Lagos , Kinshasa , and Cairo ; South America's Bogotá , Lima , and São Paulo ; and Mexico City and Saint Petersburg also fall into this category. City population and especially area are, however, heavily dependent on

392-461: A female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.55. As of 2000, the population density was 929.4 inhabitants per square mile (358.8/km). There were 31,716 housing units at an average density of 661.1 per square mile (255.3/km). In 2000,

448-538: A high urbanization level, with an economically specialized city population drawing also on rural resources outside the area, illustrating the difference between high population density and overpopulation . Deserts have very limited potential for growing crops as there is not enough rain to support them. Thus, their population density is generally low. However, some cities in the Middle East, such as Dubai , have been increasing in population and infrastructure growth at

504-556: A land boom, leading to the establishment of citrus groves and various tourist attractions, including the Everglades Wonder Gardens and the Shell Factory. The advent of air conditioning, the construction of Interstate 75, and the opening of Southwest Florida International Airport in the late 20th century brought more tourists and retirees to Bonita Springs. Today, it is known for its beautiful beaches, luxury golf courses, and

560-720: A line that passes through the city. The company offers freight service and local, daytime excursions. Bonita Springs is served by local editions of the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News . The metropolitan area is home to 36 radio stations. With an Arbitron-assigned 879,600 listening area population, the metropolitan area of which Bonita Springs is one part ranks 61/274 for the fall of 2013. Arbitron Standard Radio Market: Ft. Myers-Naples- Marco Island . Nielsen Media Research designated market area : Ft. Myers-Naples. 2013 - 2014 estimate U.S. rank: 62/210 (517,920 TV Homes) Lee County, Florida Lee County

616-493: A mean January temperature of 65 °F (18 °C). Hurricane Charley made landfall north of Bonita Springs on August 13, 2004. Hurricane Wilma made landfall south of Bonita Springs on October 24, 2005. On September 9–10, 2017, Hurricane Irma , at the time a slow-moving Category 3 storm, passed over Florida's southwest coast. The eyewall/eye passed overhead in Bonita Springs. Many structures were damaged or destroyed and

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672-492: A thriving community, attracting both residents and businesses. Bonita Springs's approximate coordinates are 26°20′59″N 81°47′27″W  /  26.34972°N 81.79083°W  / 26.34972; -81.79083 . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 41.0 square miles (106 km), of which 35.3 square miles (91 km) is land and 5.7 square miles (15 km) (13.95%)

728-460: A year-round warm, monsoon -influenced climate that is close to the boundary between tropical and subtropical climates (18 °C (64 °F) in the coldest month), thus is either classified as a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), which is the classification used by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , or a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw ). Lee County has short, warm winters, and long, hot, humid summers, with most of

784-403: Is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. It was one of the first areas of Florida to break away from a Solid South voting pattern. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. Since then, Adlai Stevenson II , Lyndon Johnson , Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama have been the only Democrats to manage 40 percent of the vote. Lee County

840-888: Is a public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in South Fort Myers. The university belongs to the 12-campus State University System of Florida . FGCU competes in the ASUN Conference in NCAA Division I sports. The school is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate's , 51 different types of bachelor's , 29 different master's , and six types of doctoral degrees. The parks are maintained by

896-624: Is also responsible for corrections, court operations, and civil proceedings. There are multiple specialized units within the agency including Aviation, K9, SOU, Fugitive Warrants, Marine, Electronic Surveillance, and Tactical Narcotics Teams. Colleges in Lee County include Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Barry University , Nova Southeastern University , Florida SouthWestern State College , Cape Coral Technical College, Fort Myers Technical College, Hodges University , Keiser University , Southern Technical College , and Rasmussen College . FGCU

952-566: Is calculated for a county , city , country , another territory or the entire world . The world's population is around 8,000,000,000 and the Earth 's total area (including land and water) is 510,000,000 km (200,000,000 sq mi). Therefore, the worldwide human population density is approximately 8,000,000,000 ÷ 510,000,000 = 16/km (41/sq mi). However, if only the Earth's land area of 150,000,000 km (58,000,000 sq mi)

1008-526: Is from Fort Myers, and was instrumental in bringing his team to the city for spring training. The deal for JetBlue Park left City of Palms Park without a tenant. County officials have discussed the possibility of securing another team for City of Palms. Terry Park Ballfield (also known as the Park T. Pigott Memorial Stadium) in East Fort Myers is also not currently in use by a Major League Baseball team, though it

1064-466: Is located in southwestern Florida , United States, on the Gulf Coast . As of the 2020 census , its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in the state. The county seat is Fort Myers , with a population of 86,395 as of the 2020 census, and the largest city is Cape Coral , with an estimated 2020 population of 194,016. The county comprises

1120-588: Is population divided by total land area , sometimes including seas and oceans, as appropriate. Low densities may cause an extinction vortex and further reduce fertility. This is called the Allee effect after the scientist who identified it. Examples of the causes of reduced fertility in low population densities are: Population density is the number of people per unit of area, usually transcribed as "per square kilometer" or square mile, and which may include or exclude, for example, areas of water or glaciers. Commonly this

1176-534: Is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Byron Donalds of the 19th district and by Greg Steube of the 17th district . Most of the county is in the 19th, while the far eastern portion is in the 17th. As of May 31, 2024. A small port operation continues in Boca Grande , being used as a way-point for oil distribution. However, Port Boca Grande has been in decline for many years as

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1232-518: Is taken into account, then human population density is 53/km (140/sq mi). This includes all continental and island land area, including Antarctica . However, if Antarctica is excluded, then population density rises to over 58 per square kilometre (150/sq mi). The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a suite of (open and free) data and tools named the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) to improve

1288-478: Is the former home of the Philadelphia Athletics , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Kansas City Royals . Population density Population density (in agriculture : standing stock or plant density ) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans , but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term. Population density

1344-499: Is water. The city is on both Estero Bay and the Gulf of Mexico . The area called Bonita Beach is on Little Hickory Island, a road-accessible barrier island that lies between the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The Imperial River flows through the city's downtown district and empties into Estero Bay. The city lies in the tropical climate zone , more specifically a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen climate classification : Am ), having

1400-615: The Caloosahatchee culture (500 to 1750 AD). By the time of European contact, the area was more specifically occupied by the Calusa . After European contact, fishermen from Cuba and other Spanish colonies set up fishing camps, known as ranchos in Spanish, on the southern portion of the Gulf Coast of Florida. These ranchos extended from Charlotte Harbor south to San Carlos Bay and the mouth of

1456-685: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,212 square miles (3,140 km ), of which 428 square miles (1,110 km ) (35.3%) are covered by water. Rivers and streams include the Caloosahatchee River , the Imperial River , the Estero River , Hendry Creek, and Orange River. Lee County is on the southwest coast of Florida. It is about 125 miles (201 km) south of Tampa , 115 miles (185 km) west of Fort Lauderdale via Interstate 75 , and roughly 125 miles (201 km) west-northwest of Miami via U.S. Highway 41 . Lee County has

1512-548: The 1870s, Tervio Padilla, a wealthy merchant from the Canary Islands, came by way of Key West to Cayo Costa and established trade with natives and "ranchos" that extended northward to Charlotte Harbor. His ships often made port at Cayo Costa at the entrance to the harbor. Enchanted by the tropical island, he eventually decided to settle there. Padilla prospered until the outbreak of the Spanish–American War , when his fleet

1568-563: The American Civil War. Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the opening of the Royal Palm Hotel in 1898, built by New York City department store magnate Hugh O'Neill. Fort Myers was the frequent winter home of Thomas Edison , as well as Henry Ford . In 1911, Fort Myers was incorporated as a city. In 1923, Collier and Hendry Counties were created by splitting these areas from Lee County. Construction of

1624-689: The Arts Bonita Springs, which offers art classes, exhibitions, and performances. The city hosts several annual events, including the Celebrate Bonita festival and various arts and craft fairs. The Bonita Springs Historical Society offers walking tours that highlight the city’s historical sites, such as the Liles Hotel and the Bonita Springs Elementary School. These tours provide insights into the area's past and its development over

1680-609: The Caloosahatchee. Likely established in the latter part of the 1600s, they were precursors to the larger European settlements that would be established in the following centuries. As the 18th century came to an end, the Calusa who had once inhabited the area were replaced with the Seminole . In particular, in 1799, an Indian agent noted the existence of a Seminole town on the "Cull-oo-saw-hat-che" or Caloosahatchee River. After Florida became

1736-695: The Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ), which, along with the Naples - Marco Island ( Collier County ) MSA and the Clewiston ( Hendry County , Glades County ) Micropolitan Statistical Area ( μSA ), is included in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ). Lee County was established in 1887 from Monroe County . Fort Myers is the county seat and

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1792-654: The Downtown Intermodal Transfer Center ; in addition, suburb-to-suburb routes are operated, as well as park-and-ride service to and from both Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida International Airport. The Downtown Intermodal Transfer Center in Fort Myers also serves as an intermediate stop on Greyhound Lines bus service. Newspapers include The News-Press and Florida Weekly . Arbitron standard radio market: Ft Myers-Naples- Marco Island . With an Arbitron-assigned 783,100 listening area population,

1848-542: The Fort Myers area. A cross-town rivalry has developed with the Minnesota Twins , which conduct their spring training at Hammond Stadium in south Lee County, which has a capacity of 7,500 and opened in 1991. The Red Sox' lease with Fort Myers ran through 2019, but the Red Sox were considering exercising the early out in their contract that would have allowed them to leave following the 2009 spring season. On October 28, 2008,

1904-513: The Lee County commission voted 3–1 to approve an agreement with the Boston Red Sox to build a new spring-training facility for the team in south Lee County. That stadium, named JetBlue Park at Fenway South, is located off Daniels Parkway near Southwest Florida International Airport. The stadium opened in time for the 2012 season. City of Palms Park had been built in 1992 for the Red Sox' spring training. Former Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell

1960-610: The Tamiami Trail Bridge, built across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924, sparked the city's growth. After the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom and many subdivisions sprouted around the city. In 1927, a property purchased by the City of Fort Myers was turned into an airport, eventually called Page Field . During World War II , Page Field served as an advanced fighter training base and home to

2016-600: The US Army Corps of Engineers surveyed the area, establishing a camp along what is now the Imperial River. This site became known as Survey, and the river was called Surveyor's Creek. In the 1880s, Braxton Comer bought 6,000 acres around Survey and brought indentured families to work on his plantation. By the early 20th century, developers decided to rename the area Bonita Springs to make it more appealing to settlers and investors. By 1912, streets and avenues were laid out, and

2072-415: The annual mean being 75.1 °F (23.9 °C). Records range from 24 °F (−4 °C) on December 29, 1894 up to 103 °F (39 °C) on June 16–17, 1981. As of the 2020 United States census , 760,822 people, 288,916 households, and 187,877 families resided in the county. About 4.6% of that population was under 5 years old, 17.3% was under 18, and 29.2% was 65 or older; 51.0% was female; 89.3%

2128-451: The city experienced a significant influx of settlers. In 1885, when Fort Myers was incorporated, its population of 349 residents made it the second-largest city only to Tampa on Florida's west coast south of Cedar Key, even larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time. Lee County was formed in 1887 from Monroe County , with Fort Myers serving as the county seat. It was named for Robert E. Lee , Confederate general in

2184-400: The city experienced significant flooding. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 53,644 people, 24,377 households, and 16,267 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 43,914 people, 19,137 households, and 12,917 families residing in the city. The 2009 estimated median income for a household in the city was $ 53,452, and the median income for

2240-453: The city the population was spread out, with 13.9% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 31.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 103.9 males. Bonita Springs boasts a rich cultural scene with institutions like the Centers for

2296-1006: The county's Parks & Recreation Department. The department also maintains spring training facilities for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins . Some of the main tourist attractions in Southwest Florida are its beaches. Lee County is home to ten beach parks and an additional seven beach accesses, maintained by Lee County Parks & Recreation. Popular beaches include Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Island, Bonita Beach, Bunchee Beach, and Lovers Key. The Lee County Library System has 13 branches. The towns of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island, though located in Lee County, maintain their own independent public library entities. The Lee County Library System currently provides more than 294,000 county residents with over 1.5 million items and materials available for use or patron circulation, as well as an online library materials catalog, free wi-fi, public computer access, and scanning and printing capabilities. Unlike most urban counties, Lee County

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2352-547: The definition of "urban area" used: densities are almost invariably higher for the center only than when suburban settlements and intervening rural areas are included, as in the agglomeration or metropolitan area (the latter sometimes including neighboring cities). In comparison, based on a world population of 8 billion, the world's inhabitants, if conceptualized as a loose crowd occupying just under 1 m (10 sq ft) per person (cf. Jacobs Method ), would occupy an area of 8,000 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi)

2408-732: The first major corporation to relocate to Lee County. The largest employers in Lee County as of 2019 are: The Lee County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for Lee County, Florida headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida . The Lee County Sheriff's Office responds to all calls for service within unincorporated Lee County and employs civilian dispatchers who provide dispatch for LCSO Deputies and Florida Southwestern State College Police. The Cape Coral Police Department , Fort Myers Police Department , Sanibel Police Department and Lee County Port Authority Police maintain their own police dispatch centers. The Lee County Sheriff's Office

2464-608: The fort and the Confederate forces retreated. After the war, the fort was again deserted. The fort was later disassembled and some of its wood was used to build parts of downtown Fort Myers. During the Civil War, Fort Myers was occupied by federal troops with the intention of disrupting the Confederate cattle supply from Florida. In February 1865, it was the site of the Battle of Fort Myers . The first settlers in Fort Myers arrived in 1866. In

2520-472: The fort was abandoned. Billy's Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west. In 1863, the fort was reoccupied by federal troops during the Civil War . In 1865, in the Battle of Fort Myers , the fort was attacked by a small group of Confederates. The Union's garrison, led by Captain James Doyle, successfully held

2576-434: The hotel on the corner of First and Fowler was torn down. Lee County has been the host to several Major League Baseball teams for spring training over the past several decades. The county received a boost in 1983 when Southwest Florida Regional Airport (now known as Southwest Florida International Airport ) opened. On August 13, 2004, the county was struck by Hurricane Charley , a category 4 storm, particularly on

2632-692: The metropolitan area ranks 62/299 for the fall of 2006. The metropolitan area is home to 32 radio stations . Nielsen Media Research designated market area : Ft. Myers-Naples Number of TV homes: 479,130 2006–2007 U.S. rank: 64/210 Fort Myers is home to Florida Gulf Coast University . Its teams, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles , play in NCAA Division I in the ASUN Conference . The Eagles' men's basketball team had an average attendance of 2,291 in 2013. The Boston Red Sox hold their annual spring training at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in

2688-517: The names Survey and Surveyor's Creek were changed to Bonita Springs and the Imperial River, respectively. The completion of a road to Fort Myers in 1917 and the extension of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's Fort Myers Southern Branch through Bonita Springs to Marco Island in the 1920s spurred significant growth. The Tamiami Trail, completed in 1928, further contributed to this development. During this time, Bonita Springs experienced

2744-469: The northwestern islands of Captiva , Gasparilla , and North Captiva . On September 10, 2017, Lee County was struck by Hurricane Irma as a category 2 storm. On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Lee County as a category 4 storm, causing major damage to Sanibel , Pine Island , and surrounding areas. Sanibel Causeway partially collapsed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. 71 deaths occurred in Lee County as of October 4. According to

2800-545: The science for policy support to the European Commission Directorate Generals and Services and as support to the United Nations system. Several of the most densely populated territories in the world are city-states , microstates and urban dependencies . In fact, 95% of the world's population is concentrated on just 10% of the world's land. These territories have a relatively small area and

2856-418: The several bomber groups. Following the war, a small terminal was built in the mid-1950s as the airport transitioned to commercial use. Another airfield was constructed in 1942 called Buckingham Army Airfield . The base was closed down in 1945, after which the barracks served as classrooms for Edison College until 1948. Following the end of World War II, the Royal Palm Hotel was closed permanently, and in 1947,

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2912-548: The shipping industry has moved north, especially to the Port of Tampa . In addition, a private enterprise operates a high-speed, passenger-only ferry service between Fort Myers Beach from San Carlos Island and Key West . Another ferry service is offered from Fort Myers to Key West. Fixed-route bus service is provided by the Lee County Transit Department , operated as " LeeTran ". Several routes extend outward from

2968-510: The year's rainfall occurring from June to September. The temperature rarely rises to 100 °F (38 °C) or lowers to the freezing mark. At 89, Lee County leads the nation in the number of days annually in which a thunderstorm is close enough for thunder to be heard. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 64.2 °F (17.9 °C) in January to 83.4 °F (28.6 °C) in August, with

3024-628: The years. Public art is an integral part of the city’s cultural landscape, with numerous sculptures and murals adorning public spaces. The Everglades Wonder Gardens, a historic attraction, continues to draw visitors with its botanical garden and wildlife exhibits. Bonita Springs is served by the Lee County School District . Fixed-route bus and trolley service is provided by the Lee County Transit Department, operated as LeeTran . Seminole Gulf Railway owns and operates

3080-413: Was 25 years or older were high-school graduates and 28.5% of those 25 years or older had a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household income was $ 59,608 with a per capita income of $ 34,818. About 10.5% of population below the poverty threshold . The median value of owner-occupied housing units between 2016 and 2020 was $ 235,300 and the median gross rent was $ 1,225. Around 94.2% of the households had

3136-457: Was burned and scuttled. He then turned to another means of livelihood – fishing. When the government claimed his land, he was disinclined to set up another ranch, so moved with his wife further down the island and as before, simply homesteaded. The Padilla family is one of the first pioneer families of Lee County and many still reside within the county, mainly around the Pine Island area. In 1882,

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