Read Us Online FREE at Take Me IslandSunNews.com Home VOL. 9, NO. 27 From the Beaches to the River District downtown Fort Myers JULY 9, 2010 ‘Ding’ Darling Days Photo Contest Starts Clicking July 15 uly 15 marks the opening of the Jannual “Ding” Darling Days Amateur Nature Photography Contest. The contest, spon- sored by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society- Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) and held in conjunction with “Ding” Darling Days, October 17 to 23, honors the birthday of Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, one of the foremost conser- vationists in American history and driving force behind the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Deadline for sub- mission is 4 p.m. on September 15. For an entry form and other contest information, log on to www.dingdarling- society.org and click on “Photo Contest.” Or contact DDWS at ding- [email protected] Joe Mikus of Winchester, Virginia, took first place in last or 472-1100, ext. 233. year’s “Ding” Darling Days Amateur Nature Photography Winners will be Contest with his Roseate Spoonbill announced and awarded prizes at Conservation Art Day on Saturday, October 23, part of “Ding” Darling Days. Entries may be delivered in person to JN “Ding” Darling NWR or by mail to “Ding” Photographers get out the zoom lenses at Main and Hendry for last year’s Purple Martin Darling Wildlife Society, One Wildlife Drive, Sanibel, FL 33957. Festival Only amateur photographers are eligible to enter. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society is a non-profit friends organization that supports environmental education and services for JN “Ding” Darling NWR. usual roosting area, the parking lot across Celebrate Purple from his business. He emphasizes the importance of sav- Martin Festival ing the mahogany trees in that lot where for years the purple martins have fasci- Sanibel Beaches June Attendance With The Bar nated people with their aerial show as they prepare for the nightly roost. Breaks All Previous Years’ Levels Association Bistro Properly maintaining those trees is crucial, he thinks, for the martins are he City of Sanibel announced that the June 2010 attendance at the public by Gerri Reaves good for downtown, bringing in large beaches on Sanibel exceeded all previous years’ monthly activity for June. can the skies of downtown Fort numbers of local residents and visitors TSanibel City Manager Judie Zimomra reported that, “Our beaches are pristine throughout the summer. Myers at dusk, and you’ll see the and in excellent condition... and our summer visitors are here.” The public parking The nightly show is wonderful for chil- lots at Sanibel’s beaches generated $132,822 for the period between June 1 and Sswoop of the “early birds.” For weeks now, bird lovers have been dren, especially, he says, a great family June 30. activity. Zimomra went on to say, “These numbers are very important to us inasmuch as the monitoring downtown skies for the arrival of summertime’s most celebrated visitors, This year’s festival builds on the last unseasonable cold winter deflated beach parking revenues for first quarter 2010 by 24 year’s success, which received television, percent, which was approximately $82,100. “Activity at Sanibel’s beaches is a major the purple martins, on their yearly migra- tion south. print-media, and Internet coverage. economic indicator for our community and our region.” Zimomra concluded, “Thus, In the four years that The Bar “It started with maybe 10 or 15 we are committed to maintaining this great asset to world-class destination standards.” Association Bistro has held the Purple people coming down on the corners, The City of Sanibel maintains 24.5 miles of shoreline, of which 11.75 is direct Martin Festival, this is the latest those and within a week, we had a 100 people Gulf of Mexico shoreline and can be accessed from seven public parking lots. All funds chattering birds have arrived. every night,” Kopko says. generated from the public beach parking lots are utilized exclusively for maintaining the But they are arriving, says Ron Kopko, The bar’s Purple Martin “lottery” start- beaches, fishing pier, dune vegetation, trails, bathrooms and parking lots. In addition to owner of The Bar Association and festival ed in June and will continue throughout the revenue generated at the public parking lot, the city receives an annual grant from organizer. the season. Each night, the first person to the Lee County Tourist Development Council to maintain the beaches. He’s seen several hundred circling the be “dropped” on receives a free drink. continued on page 3 continued on page 3 2 THERIVER JULY 9, 2010 Historic Downtown Fort Myers, Then And Now: Celebrating The Fourth Of July In Early Fort Myers by Gerri Reaves lmost a century ago, Fort Myers celebrated the Fourth of July with a parade down flag-bedecked First Street. In Athis circa 1912 photo taken from Phoenix Hall, parade- goers delight in the log-cabin float pulled by two white horses and flag-waving spectators line the balcony of the Bradford Hotel. The photographer was perched in an advantageous spot for the occasion, the southeast corner of First and Hendry. Phoenix Hall, located above the EL Evans Hardware Store, served as a community center and meeting place for the 23 years of its existence. The structure was built in 1890. The holiday crowd gathers at storefronts on the Bradford block. Businesses of that era included Foxworthy’s Clothing, Hunter’s Drugstore, the U.S. Post Office, M. Flossie Hill’s Store, and Heitman’s Grocery. On the south (right) side of the block was the Grand Theatre. A few automobiles are parked on the unpaved street in front of the Bradford Hotel, but cars were yet to rule the road. Most people still negotiated the streets by wagons horseback, bicycle, or just plain walking. Fort Myers celebrates the Fourth of July, circa 1912, seen from the southeast corner of First In Fort Myers’ early history, Fourth of July celebrations were standard. One and Hendry notable exception, however, was 1887, when the yellow-fever epidemic so severely courtesy of the Southwest Florida Historical Society curtailed movements that the town did not officially honor Independence Day. Strict Be sure to quarantines and sheer dread of disease kept people home. visit another But the spirit bounced back, most notably in 1896, when a public celebration valuable histor- attended by more than 1,500 people was held at Tournament Park (at today’s ical resource, Tournament Street and McGregor Boulevard). Festivities included a barbecue, races, the Southwest ballgame, and contests. Florida The Fort Myers Brass Band, resplendent in new white duck uniforms, played 80 Historical tunes, and even continued the performance that evening at a public ball in Phoenix Society, locat- Hall. ed at 10091 Within a couple of years after this parade photo was snapped, this particular view McGregor didn’t exist. Boulevard. Call The wood-frame Phoenix Hall, like much of the rest of the south side of the 939-4044 or block, would soon be demolished. The dim outline of the Bank of Fort Myers (behind drop by on the upstairs porch) signals the modernization that would soon sweep the rest of the Wednesday or south side of the block. Saturday, 9 The upstairs porch seen on the right side of the historic photo vanished to make a.m. to noon. way for the modern buildings still standing today, the Earnhardt and Langford build- Sources: ings. The Story of The Evans Hardware and Phoenix Hall were replaced in 1914 with the First Fort Myers National Bank of Fort Myers, an impressive granite neoclassical building. by Karl H. Once the bank’s columns were in place, the upstairs parade view was forever Grismer and changed. the archives of Today Avery, Whigham & Winesett, PA is located where a photographer cap- the Southwest tured a Fourth of July moment in early Fort Myers. Florida Walk down to First and Hendry and imagine the Fourth of July hoopla of old Fort Historical Myers, when horses pulled floats by cheering spectators. Society. Then walk a few steps to the Southwest Florida Museum of History at 2031 Jackson Street, where you can learn more about how early Fort Myers celebrated. Don’t miss Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things from the Pharaoh’s Tomb, extended to August 15. For information, call 321-7430 or go to swflmuseumofhistory.com. The muse- um’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Today’s view from Avery, Whigham & Winesett, PA in the former First Sunday. National Bank of Fort Myers Read Us Online: www.IslandSunNews.com Contributing Writers Click on The River Jennifer Basey Heights Elementary Advertising Sales Production Manager Photographer Kimberley Berisford Joan Hooper Isabel Heider Thies Stephanie See Michael Heider -ÕâÞ i Brian Johnson Ed Ibarra Jenny Evans Audrey Krienen Graphic Arts/Production Writers Ed Frank Scott Martell Co-Publishers Terri Blackmore Ann Ziehl iÀÀ ,i>ÛiÃ] * Max Friedersdorf ->}}>Õ Lorin Arundel Office Coordinator Katherine Mouyos Anne Mitchell *ÀÃV> Ài`iÀÃ`Àv >«Ì° >ÌÌ ÌV i and Ken Rasi *>ÌÀV> Þ *>ÌÀV> Þ Scott White iÀ}i The River Weekly News will correct factual errors or matters of emphasis and interpretation that appear in news stories. Readers with news, tips, comments or questions, please call (239) 415-7732 or write to: The River Weekly News, 1609 Hendry Street, Suite 15, Fort Myers, FL 33901. Fax number: (239) 415-7702. E-mail: [email protected]. The River Weekly News reserves the right to refuse, alter or edit any editorial or advertisement. PRINTED ON RECYCLED `i«i`iÌÞ "Üi` ` "«iÀ>Ìi` U "*9,/ Óä£ä / i ,ÛiÀ 7iiÞ iÜà U LORKEN *ÕLV>ÌÃ] V° PAPER THERIVER JULY 9, 2010 3 From page 1 Purple martins eat their weight in insects each day and are necessarily Purple Martin Festival attuned to the weather.