Located on the wide and beautiful Caloosahatchee River, just fifteen miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Myers, the fabled "City of Palms," is known throughout the world for its tropical weather and many local attractions. Exotic flowers and shrubbery dot the city landscape, which today includes a revitalized downtown, inviting neighborhoods, endless shopping, and a breathtaking waterfront. Like many Florida communities, the origin of Fort Myers can be traced to the Seminole Indian wars of the 1800s. The fort itself-named for Lt. Col. Abraham Myers-was established in the frontier region to quell uprisings and help in the Indian Removal campaigns. It was later used by Union forces during the Civil War, was abandoned, and then reoccupied by courageous settlers who relied on the cattle business, and citrus and vegetable farming to sustain their families and their new town. As the years passed, Fort Myers grew and began to attract winter visitors, including such famous Americans as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, both of whom had homes in the area, as well as wealthy sportsmen eager to try their luck at tarpon fishing in nearby Gulf waters. When the railroad finally reached Fort Myers, tourists, transplants, retirees, and many more would discover the irresistible charms of one of Florida's newest gems.