Hidden History of Fort Myers
Although best known as the winter home of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, Fort Myers has one of the most engaging and extraordinary histories of any city in Florida. Historian and author, Cynthia Williams, explores the hidden stories behind the growth of this beautiful city.
The spawn of a hurricane, Fort Myers began as a U.S. Army post during Florida’s Seminole Wars. During the Civil War, it became a battle ground between Confederates and Yankees for cattle, and after the war, a gun-slinging cowboy town. New York cartoonist Walt McDougall blew into the area on a fishing trip, and his glowing description lured other wealthy Yankee sportsmen down who helped turn this isolated frontier town into a modern tourist destination.
In her foreword to this book, author Denege Patterson says, "The veil of time and academia might dull portraits of historical figures, but not in this book. These personalities are premier actors in big-screen technicolor. The book is comprehensive without being long; evocative without being manipulative; colorful without being gaudy. The author's intimate tone allows history to unfold in such a way that it can be voraciously devoured. The account is moving, and its truth rings true."
About Cynthia Williams (Ft. Myers, Florida Author)
Cynthia Williams is a professional writer whose work includes creative non-fiction, fiction, narrative history, and television copy writing. She publishes narrative histories and creative non-fiction, and has self-published part one of The BANYAN Trilogy, a psychological mystery whose setting is a fictionalized version of the historical Murphy-Burroughs Home in Fort Myers.
Cynthia is the recipient of a Florida Writer’s Association Royal Palm Literary Award for her children’s story, "As Wrong As Wrong Can Be" and of the Charlotte Writer’s Club award for best creative non-fiction for her story, "Just for Tonight."
Cynthia grew up in Fort Myers, but has lived most of her adult life in Arizona and North Carolina. She now lives in Bokeelia on Pine Island where she indulges her love of history by writing narrative histories of Fort Myers for the Sunday Tropicalia section of the Fort Myers News-Press. This year, she has also written a children's picture book for Random House, and is completing her first young adult novel.
Much of Cynthia's published work is available on her website at www.cyn1020.com.
