The first known resident of Fort Myers was Manuel Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant who settled there in the 19th century.
Fort Myers Senior High School, an International Baccalaureate school, was ranked as one of the best schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.
American Idol runner-up Vonzell Solomon graduated from Cypress Lake High School's Center for the Arts.
In the premier episode of the final season of The Sopranos, Eugene Pontecorvo inherits $2 million from a relative and asks Tony Soprano if he can take the money and buy a retirement home in Fort Myers.
The above ground scenes of the movie "Day of the Dead" were filmed at Page Field Airport, and Downtown Fort Myers
Famous people from Fort Myers
Earnest Graham - NFL Player - RB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Greg Spires - NFL Player - DE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (current team), New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns
Jevon Kearse - NFL player - DE - Philadelphia Eagles (current team), Tennessee Titans
Deion Sanders - Former NFL player - CB - Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens; Former MLB Player - New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants
Vonzell Solomon - American Idol 3rd place finisher
Elissa Steamer - Pro skateboarder
Mike Greenwell - Former MLB Player and current NASCAR driver
Anthony Henry - NFL Player - CB - Dallas Cowboys (current team), Cleveland Browns
Mindy McCready, country music artist
Cliff Williams - bass player for the rock band AC/DC
Points of interest
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
The city is the home of the Fort Myers Miracle baseball club of the Florida State League, and is the spring training locale for the Boston Red Sox. The Minnesota Twins hold their spring training in suburban South Fort Myers.
Fort Myers shares the Florida Everblades ECHL hockey team, Florida Firecats af2 arena football, and Florida Flame NBA Development League basketball team with nearby Naples.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 48,208 people, 19,107 households, and 10,738 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.8/km² (1,514.6/mi²). There were 21,836 housing units at an average density of 264.9/km² (686.1/mi²).
There were 19,107 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,514, and the median income for a family was $32,477. Males had a median income of $26,292 versus $20,529 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,312. About 18.1% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.3% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
