Visit the Museum Gift Shop Stop by our museum gift shop to buy that unique item for your friends and family. We have many lovely items to choose from such as books on local history, a good supply of DVDs and books about SWFL Places to See. You will also find a wide selection of sizes in our Burrowing Owl T-shirts, as well as mugs, license plates, and jewelry. Come in and browse and you just may find that special present! Discover, MasterCard and Visa accepted January 20152016 Newsletter Volume Volume 16 15 Issue Issue 11 : Cape Coral 50 Years Ago By Art Young, OD Volunteers are our LIFE-LINE We appreciate all of you! Please call 772-7037 if you are interested in a volunteer opportunity. SEND FEEDBACK TO ccoralmuseum@embarqmail.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE: capecoralhistoricalmuseum.org Join us for a special presentation by Dr. Art Young, Cape Coral s First Optometrist. He will be share his experiences moving to and starting a business in Cape Coral 50 years ago. Dr. Young is a native Floridian, born in West Palm Beach, Florida and had never set foot on the West Coast of the Sunshine State until August 1965. He ventured to Cape Coral to visit relatives who had purchased property in Cape Coral and fell in love with the area. Dr. Young decided to build a future in Cape Coral and opened the first optometry practice. Cape Coral Historical Society Museum PO Box 150637 Cape Coral, FL 33915 Ccoralmuseum@embarqmail.com Web site: capecoralhistoricalmuseum.org Open: Wed., Thurs., Sun. 1pm-4pm 544 Cultural Park Boulevard (239) 772-7037 When: Tuesday, January 12 th at 2:30pm Where: Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd
January 12 January 13 February 9 February 10 March 8 March 9 April 12 April 13 May 10 Mark Your Calendar Cape Coral 50 Years Ago by Art Young, OD; Cape Coral s First Optometrist Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife Updates from the Calusa Heartland by Cindy Bear, Randell Research Center Homesteaders of Fort Myers Beach by Ceel Sphuler, Mound House End of Season, Museum Open House for Members 6-18. The new Methodist church building on Coronado is used for the first time. 7-9. The Cape Coral Gardens are to open in August. 8-9. An open house is held at the Industrial Park. 8-31. The new Cape Coral Elementary School opens with 12 classrooms. 9-3. Brian Gottfried, 12, wins the national tennis championship in Chattanooga, then goes on to Canada to win the doubles championship, paired with George Taylor. 9-3. A new water tank (now gone) is erected at the southern end of the golf course. 9-17. A gun collection of 135 guns is donated to the National Hobby Center in Cape Coral. 9-24. Plans are drawn for construction of a Jewish synagogue (now gone) on Del Prado. 10-1. Bids are let for construction of a new Lutheran church building in Cape Coral. 10-15. Cape Coral Merchants Assoc. votes to become the C.C. Chamber of Commerce. 11-5. St. Andrews Catholic Church announces building plans. 11-19. The Cape population reaches 4000. 11-26. Construction is begun on the first Cape Coral Publix supermarket on 'the Parkway.' 11-26. A classical music concert series is begun by the Rotarians. Six season tickets for $6. The first concert features a string quartet by Univ. of FL music professors. 12-3. A German TV crew shoots a 15-minute documentary of CC to be shown in Germany. For such a small town, a lot was going on, and there's a lot to come.
ONE YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE CAPE - 1964 As Cape Coral grows, new features and entities are added, but what would it be like to have almost none of the usual community services? The Cape endured for five years when suddenly things started happening. The dates are as reported in the Breeze. 2-20. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the new grade school, to be ready for the opening of school in September. The new school will eliminate students having to get up at 5:00 AM to be off on a school bus to Ft. Myers. 3-12. The new Cape Coral Bank opens. 3-19. The new Cape Coral bridge opened March 14, making a way to the rest of the county without having to drive way north through North Ft. Myers. 4-9. The German-American Club is formed. 4-16. Ground is broken for the First Baptist Church. 4-23. The Cape Volunteer Fire Department became operational with the arrival of a new fire truck. 4-30. Curb mail delivery begins. Before, residents had to go to the post office for mail. 5-7. The new building of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany opens. HISTORICAL TIDBITS FROM THE PREZ Wow can you believe it is 2016, where did 2015 go??? Hope everyone had a nice holiday and a very Happy New Year. Thank you to those who attended our holiday party at the Cultural Park theatre, the punch and cookies were yummy. Your Board is working hard to have some wonderful events and programs this year, starting with the Bluegrass Jamboree on January 30 th. I look forward to seeing you at some of these events. DID YOU KNOW? Since it was a long way into Fort Myers to the movies or any other type of amusement, groups formed together to make their own fun. Gulf American built a barbecue pit out of concrete blocks where the Yacht Club now stands. On many Saturday evenings quite a group gathered there to fix steaks or hamburgers for their families. Green wood was placed on the fire to make smoke to keep off the mosquitoes, which at times were really bad. 5-7. Check out these prices: ice cream - $.79/gal.; pork loin - $.39/1b.; ground beef - 3 lb/$1; coffee - $.5911b. 5-7. A big ad by GA Land Corp. answers the question, 'What is a condominium?' 5-14. Arlo Deibler, founding conductor of Ft. Myers Symphony has a new additional post of music director for Christ Lutheran Church. 5-14. An editorial appears urging that the school superintendent be appointed by the school board rather than by winning a political election.
Vacancies on Board of Directors The Cape Coral Historical Society is currently accepting applications to serve on its Board of Directors. Board members take an active role in the operation of the Cape Coral Historical Museum, a community museum dedicated to preserving, displaying and sharing the unique character of Cape Coral for future generations. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume for consideration. Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria: a professional background suited to contribute to board diversity, expertise and connections in the community; and an understanding of and commitment to the time and active involvement expected of board members. The Board of Directors meets at the Cape Coral Historical Museum on the first Wednesday of each month at 3:00pm. Current projects of the board include strategic planning, special event planning and fundraising. For additional information, please call the museum at (239) 772-7037 or email capecoralmuseum@outlook.com. Applications should be mailed to the Cape Coral Historical Society at: PO Box 150637, Cape Coral, FL 33915, or dropped off at the museum: 544 Cultural Park Boulevard, Cape Coral, FL 33990.