Lehigh
Acres Florida History
 Comfortably
away from the pace of everyday life, Lehigh Acres gives one the
quiet of the Florida countryside coupled with family activities,
easy access to the area's International Airport and excellent
shopping excursions.
Lehigh Acres is the perfect place to enjoy miles of freshwater
canals, great fishing, tennis, horseback riding, and 15 miles
of hiking and biking trails.
Visit Admiral Lehigh Resort, a vacation resort complex, complete
with meeting rooms and 36 holes of challenging golf. Other courses
in the area also offer a real-Florida style championship golfing
experience.
Besides canals, Lehigh Acres has 16 well-stocked lakes to delight
any fisherman. Bass, crappie and catfish are plentiful, and boat-launching
ramps are available throughout the area.
Lehigh Acres is a census-designated place located
in Lee County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total
population of 33,430.
Population now is 63,000
as a June 1, 2005.
County: Lee
Land area: 94.9 square
miles
Zip codes: 33936, 33971,
33972.
Median resident age:
38.0 years
Median household income: $38,517 (year 2000)
Median house value: $79,400 (year 2000)
Races
in Lehigh Acres:
- White Non-Hispanic (75.6%)
- Hispanic (13.4%)
- Black (8.8%)
- Other race (3.8%)
- Two or more races (2.0%)
- American Indian (0.7%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could
be counted in other races)
Ancestries:
- German (14.9%),
- Irish (12.3%),
- United States (11.8%),
- English (10.5%),
- Italian (7.9%),
- Polish (2.9%).
The closest airports in the area are the Southwest
Florida International airport (RSW) located about 10 miles southwest
of Lehigh Acres in Fort Myers, Florida, Page Field (FMY) located
approximately 14 miles west of Lehigh Acres in Fort Myers, Florida,
the Charlotte County airport (PGD) located roughly 30 miles northwest
of Lehigh Acres in Punta Gorda, Florida, and finally the Airglades
airport (2IS) located around 36 miles east of Lehigh Acres in
Clewiston, Florida.
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Geography
Lehigh Acres is located at 26°36'30" North, 81°38'21"
West (26.608403, -81.639224)GR1.
- According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has
atotal area of
- 248.6 km² (96.0 mi²).
- 245.8 km² (94.9 mi²) of it is land and
- 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²) of it is water.
- The total area is 1.14% water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are
- 33,430 people,
- 12,707 households, and
- 9,250 families residing in the CDP.
- The population density is
- 136.0/km² (352.3/mi²).
There are 14,486 housing units at an average density of 58.9/km²
(152.7/mi²).
The racial makeup of the CDP is
- 84.30% White,
- 8.79% African American,
- 0.29% Native American,
- 0.84% Asian,
- 0.02% Pacific Islander,
- 3.77% from other races,
- and 1.99% from two or more races.
- 13.36% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 12,707 households out of which 32.3% have children
under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% are married couples
living together, 10.2% have a female householder with no husband
present, and 27.2% are non-families. 22.0% of all households are
made up of individuals and 13.2% have someone living alone who
is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.62
and the average family size is 3.03.
In the CDP the population is spread out with 26.0% under the
age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from
45 to 64, and 19.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median
age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 94.0 males. For
every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.5 males.
History of Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres was the first post World War II Florida retirement
community to be built, and now 40 years later it is still growing.
Lehigh Acres got its start in the mid 1950s when Chicago businessman
Lee Ratner needed a tax shelter. He had sold his pest control
business, and he faced the possibility of losing most of his earnings
to the high capital gains tax of that era.
Ratner heard that cattle was a good investment for people in
his predicament, and he bought 20,000 acres (80 km²) of land
in eastern Lee County and named it the Lucky Lee Ranch.
After ranching for a while, Ratner envisioned this as a new community.
It is due to his foresight that Lehigh Acres has become the well
balanced, thriving community it is today.
Since the days of Lucky Lee, the boundaries of Lehigh Acres have
stretched to cover 100 square miles (260 km²) and the pasture
land where Ratner's cattle roamed has been divided into quarter
and half-acre (1,000 and 2,000 m²) lots for housing with
larger tracts along major thoroughfares, such as Homestead Road
And Lee Boulevard, set aside for stores and business. Now Lehigh
Acres has over 152,000 lots.
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| Weather & Climate
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Average climate in Lehigh Acres,
Florida
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| Antiques
SOME LIKE IT
USED
4632 Del Prado Blvd
Cape Coral, FL 339034
(239) 540-3899 |
SECOND HAND
ROSE
Del Prado Mall
Cape Coral, FL
(239) 574-6919 |
THE APPLE SISTERS
Antiques - Consignment - Collectibles
1413 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral, FL 33904
(239) 542-5448
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| Art
Galleries
CAPE CORAL ARTS
STUDIO
4533 Coronado Parkway
(239) 574-0802 |
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| Beaches
/ Swimming
| Lee
County Area Beaches
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SUN
SPLASH FAMILY WATERPARK
400 Santa Barbara Blvd.
(239) 574-0557
Slide into a million gallons of fun at the 12-acre
waterpark featuring more than two dozen wet and
dry attractions including "Cape Fear" the park's
newest and fastest tube slide. Enjoy the lazy
river, cable drop and tot sport kiddie area featuring
interactive squirt works, sand volleyball and
more.
www.sunsplashwaterpark.com
CAPE CORAL YACHT CLUB
5819 Driftwood Pkwy.
Cape Coral, FL 33914
(239) 574-0806
Both a public pool and beach are available. |
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Boating
& Fishing
CAPE
CORAL GODMAN YACHT BASIN MARINA
5819-E Driftwood Parkway
(239) 574-0809 |
TARPON
POINT MARINA
1430 Rose Garden Rd.
Cape Coral, FL
(239) 549-4900 |
CAPE
HARBOUR MARINA
5710 Chiquita Blvd. S.
Cape Coral, FL
(239) 945-4330 |
MID ISLAND
FAMILY MARINA OF CAPE CORAL
1503 SE 46th Lane
(239) 549-2636 |
Cape Coral Public
Boat Ramps
The City of Cape Coral has four different locations
where boat owners can access the water from a
concrete boat ramp.
BURNT STORE
230 Burnt Store Road South
Near Embers, North of SW 3rd Terrace
Access to saltwater Matlacha Pass
SHELBURNE CANAL
1515 SW 7th Court
Near Trafalgar Parkway and Skyline Boulevard
Access to lakes - Alhambra, Kennedy, Saratoga
HORTON PARK
2600 SE 26th Place
Located at the West End of Everest Parkway
Access to saltwater - Caloosahatchee River
YACHT CLUB
5819 Driftwood Parkway
South End of Driftwood Parkway
Access to saltwater - Caloosahatchee River
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| Festival
/ Events
JANUARY
- Tour De Cape
American Cycling Club Event
Cape Coral
- Cape Coral Festival of
Arts
Downtown Cape Coral
- Arts & Crafts Show
Centennial Park Fort Myers
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FEBRUARY
- Celebrate Cape Coral Block
Party & Parade
Big Johns Parking Lot Cape Coral
- Edison Festival of Lights
Celebration
Includes City of Palms Block Party, Pageant of
Light Parade, Crafts on the River & an Antique Fair
Various Locations Fort Myers
- Swamp Cabbage Festival
LaBelle
- Lee County Fair
Lee County Fairgrounds Fort Myers
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MARCH
- Fort Myers Beach Shrimp
Festival
Fort Myers Beach
- Sanibel Shell Fair
Community Center Sanibel
Island
- Fort Myers Spring Boat
Show
Lee County Civic Center Fort Myers
- All Florida Championship
Rodeo
Arcadia
- Sounds of Jazz
Jaycee Park Cape Coral
- Spring Festival
Lehigh Acres
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APRIL
- The Best Southwest Festival
German American Club Cape Coral
- River & Blues Festival
Fort Myers
- Taste of the Islands
Sanibel - Captiva
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MAY
- Cinco de Mayo
Iguana Mia Restaurant Cape Coral
- Offshore Grand Prix Power
Boat Races
Fort Myers Beach
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JUNE
- Taste of the Beach
Fort Myers Beach
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| JULY
- Red, White & Boom
Cape Coral Bridge Cape
Coral
- Independence Day Celebrations
throughout
Lee County
- Summer Slam Fishing Tournament
Yacht Club Community Park Cape Coral
- Mango Mania
Pine Island
- Celebrate Sanibel
Sanibel
SEPTEMBER
- Wing Fling
Centennial Park, Ft. Myers
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OCTOBER
- Oktoberfest
German-American Social Club Cape Coral
- Southwest Florida
Folk & Blues Festival
KOA Campgrounds Pine Island
- Hispanic Heritage Festival
Centennial Park Downtown Fort Myers
- Jazz On The Green
Miromar Lakes Estero
- Fort Myers Beach American
Sandsculpting
Championship Festival Fort Myers Beach
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NOVEMBER
- Taste of The Town
Fort Myers
- The Old
Time Holiday Festival
Koreshan State Historic Site Estero
- Holiday
Show
Lee County Alliance of the Arts Fort Myers
- Fort Myers
Boat Show
Fort Myers
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DECEMBER
- Holiday House Open House
Edison and Ford Museum Estates Fort Myers
- Christmas Luminary Trail
Open House
Sanibel - Captiva Island
- Holiday Festival of Lights
and Tree Lighting
Cape Coral
- Christmas Boat-a-Long
Cape Coral
- Holiday Boat Parade
Fort Myers Beach
- Downtown Countdown on New
Years Eve
Downtown Fort Myers
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| GOLF
CORAL OAKS GOLF CLUB
Public
4003 Palm Tree Blvd
Cape Coral
(239) 573-3100
www.coraloaks.com |
CAPE CORAL GOLF & TENNIS
RESORT
Public
Cape Coral, FL
(239) 542-3191 |
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BURNT STORE MARINA &
COUNTRY CLUB
Public
5000 Burnt Store Rd
Cape Coral, FL
(239) 637-1577 |
CAPE CORAL EXECUTIVE COURSE
Public
1006 SE 4th Pl
Cape CoraL, FL
(239) 574-4454 |
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CAPE CORAL COUNTRY CLUB
Semi-Private
(239) 542-7879 |
ROYAL TEE COUNTRY CLUB
11460 Royal Tee Cir
Cape Coral
(239) 283-5522 |
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CAPRI DRIVING RANGE
1011 SW Pine Island Road
(239) 772-2225 |
MIKE GREENWELL'S FAMILY
FUN PARK
35 NE Pine Island Road
(239) 574-4386 |
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| MUSEUM
/ PARKS
CAPE
CORAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM
544 Cultural Park Boulevard
(239) 772-7037
Check out pictures and displays of the way things were
in Cape Coral during its early beginning days.
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CHILDREN'S SCIENCE
CENTER
2915 N.E. Pine Island Road
(239) 997-0012
Science and technology can be fun. Hands-on exploration
using exhibits on electricity, optical illusions, dinosaurs,
plus live reptiles on display. (Telescope viewing January
through April only) |
FOUR MILE COVE ECOLOGICAL PARK
Located next to Midpoint Bridge
Open 8:00 to sunset
(239) 574-0778
"Eco" Park has 365-acres of unspoiled wetlands and mangrove
swamp on the Caloosahatchee River. The park features a
4,200-foot walking trail and a visitor's center. Rent
a canoe or kayak, explore the waters of our nature preserve,
enjoy our picnic area, reflect on courage at our Iwo Jima
Memorial, one of only three life-size replicas in the
world. |
SUN SPLASH FAMILY WATERPARK
400 Santa Barbara Blvd.
(239) 574-0557
Slide into a million gallons of fun at the 12-acre waterpark
featuring more than two dozen wet and dry attractions
including "Cape Fear" the park's newest and fastest tube
slide. Enjoy the lazy river, cable drop and tot sport
kiddie area featuring interactive squirt works, sand volleyball
and more.
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MIKE GREENWELLS
FAMILY FUN PARK
35 N.E. Pine Island Road
(239) 574-4386 |
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| TENNIS
- CAPE CORAL & Neighborhood
Cape Coral
Yacht & Racquet Club (public)
5817 Driftwood Parkway 574-0808
or 549-4339
Bonita Bay Racquet Club (private)
26660 Country Club Blvd. SW
Bonita Springs 495-3573
Breckenridge Bath & Tennis
Club (memberships)
20091 Wimbledon Ct. Estero
992-5959
Cypress Lake Country Club (private)
6767 Winkler Road Fort Myers 482-0220
Fiddlesticks Country Club (private)
15391 Canon Gate Dr. Fort Myers 768-6441
Gateway Golf & Country Club (private)
11360 Championship Dr. Fort
Myers 561-1422
Palm Harbor Tennis Club (public)
120 Lenell Rd Fort Myers
Beach 463-4473
Park Meadow Tennis Club (private)
1895 Park Meadow Dr. Fort
Myers 936-6309
Pelican Landings Racquet Club (private)
24631 Goldcrest Dr. Bonita Springs
495-8100
Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa (private)
17260 Harbour Dr. Fort Myers
466-2159 or 466-4000
Sanibel Recreation Center (public)
3840 Sanibel Captiva Road Sanibel 472-0345
Sundial Beach & Tennis Club
(private)
1451 Middle Gulf Dr. Sanibel
472-4151
The Dunes Racquet Club (private)
949 Sandcastle Rd. Sanibel 472-3522
The Forest Country Club (private)
6227 Deer Run SW Fort Myers 482-8690
The Landings Racquet Club (private)
4420 Flagship Dr. Fort Myers 482-0515
The Oasis Tennis Club (memberships)
4056 Princeton St. Fort Myers 275-5683
The Vines Golf & Country Club (private)
19501 Vintage Trace Circle Fort Myers
267-7001
Wildcat Run Country Club (private)
20300 Country Club Dr. Estero 947-2300
Lee County Public Tennis Courts
Rutenberg Park, Cypress Lake Drive Fort
Myers
Three Oaks Park
Alico Road Fort Myers
Hancock Park
Hancock Bridge Parkway Cape
Coral
Fort Myers Rec. Center
Evans Avenue Fort Myers
Fort Myers Racquet Club
De Leon Street Fort Myers
Lyons Park
Cleveland Avenue Fort Myers |
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