The Estero Island Historic Society cottage is open to visitors on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, October through May.
Estero Island Historic Society Launches New
Fort Myers Beach Murder Mysteries Series
Explore the Dark Side of Fort Myers Beach History on March 1 & 22, 2025
The Estero Island Historic Society is thrilled to introduce an exciting new program that delves into the shadowy past of Fort Myers Beach. Join us for Murder Mysteries of Fort Myers Beach, a captivating discussion series that unearths some of the area’s most intriguing and mysterious events.
Join us for Murder Mysteries of FMB kicks off on Saturday, March 22 at 11 AM, with a deep dive into the Galloway Murders—a shocking crime that shook the quiet fishing village of Fort Myers Beach in the 1950s. Participants will explore the details of this chilling case and its impact on the island’s history.
Both events will take place at the Estero Island Historic Society at 161 Bay Road and are open to the public. History enthusiasts, mystery lovers, and true crime fans alike won’t want to miss these fascinating discussions.
About the Estero Island Historic Society
The Estero Island Historic Society is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of Fort Myers Beach and its surrounding areas. Through educational programs, exhibits, and community events, the society brings the island’s past to life for residents and visitors alike.
Estero Island Historic Society
Presents
Join us for the final public meeting and presentation of spring 2025
Slaves To Citizens - The Freedmen's Bureau in Florida 1865-1872
Presented by Robert N. Macomber, Historian and Award-winning Author
Monday, March 10, 2025
2 p.m.
Fort Myers Beach Public Library, 3rd floor
Space is limited. Please click this link to register.
Join multi-award-winning author and internationally acclaimed lecturer Robert N. Macomber to learn about what happened to the 61,745 slaves in Florida at the end of the Civil War.
You'll hear about tremendous efforts by U.S. Army officers, church missionaries, and volunteer doctors to assimilate former slaves into society as productive citizens. You'll learn about what worked and what didn't, the special fact-finding mission to our coastal area of Southwest Florida, how some Floridians tried to thwart the effort, and the legacies of that turbulent time which echoed into the 1960s. This is a little-known but very important part of Florida's fascinating history.
Robert N. Macomber
Robert N. Macomber is a multi-award winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer, former Dept. of Defense consultant, commentator for TV and film, adventurous expedition leader, and an accomplished seaman. He was named “2020 Florida Writer of the Year” by the FL Writers Association.
He is best known for the 17 novels comprising his “Honor Series”, the popular maritime thrillers that describe the life and career of his protagonist, a U.S. naval officer, Peter Wake, from the American Civil War in Florida, beyond the Spanish-American War in 1898, and well into the 1900s with Wake’s legacy stretching for generations.
Estero Island Historic Society
Presents
Preserving Our Preserves: Protecting the Natural Treasures of Estero Island
Monday, February 10, 2025, 2 p.m.
The Mound House
451 Connecticut Street, Fort Myers Beach
Open to the public at no charge. Donations are welcome.
Please park beside the lower entrance to the Mound House or in the overflow parking lot at 216 Connecticut Street.
Join the EIHS to learn about the determination, efforts and donations of Fort Myers Beach and area residents to preserve our natural environment, from the 1960s to the present day. Ellie Bunting and Terry Cain will cover the history, locations and continued conservation efforts to establish and protect Matanzas Pass Preserve and the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve.
Fort Myers Beach offers many attractions that delight visitors and residents — none more important than the waters, beaches, wildlife and natural beauty on and around the island. Find out how you can help in the vital effort to Preserve Our Preserves.
Another historic local attraction were the coquina-rock Arches on San Carlos Island, built in 1925 by developer Thomas Phillips. The Arches served as a popular gateway to Fort Myers Beach, but were demolished in 1979 to facilitate construction of the Matanzas Pass elevated bridge. A representative from the Arches project will share plans to rebuild a scale replica of the Arches on FMB.
Presenters:
Ellie Bunting
Ellie Bunting has served on the Board of Directors of EIHS for the past 20 years, and became President of the EIHS in 2020.
Ellie came to FMB as a young child in the early 1950s. For the first 14 years of her life, she lived at Red Coconut Trailer Park. Ellie attended Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and Cypress Lake Junior and Senior High School before moving to Tampa to study English and Reading at the University of South Florida. After she graduated from the University of South Florida, Ellie moved back to the island and has lived here ever since. She has been teaching English at Florida SouthWestern State College since 1980.
Terry B. Cain
Terry Cain was a Conservation Lands Coordinator for Lee County Parks and Recreation Conservation 2020 program for 15 years. Her conservation land responsibilities included Bowditch Point Regional Park Preserve, Matanzas Pass Preserve, Big Hickory Island Preserve, and San Carlos Bay — Bunche Beach Preserve.
She previously served on Fort Myers Beach Town Council, Marine Resources Task Force, and Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Board of the Friends of Matanzas Pass Preserve.
Terry is a retired certified Arborist, Pesticide Applicator, and Wild Land Fire Fighter with a degree in Marine Science.
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