Estero, Incorporated village in Lee County, Florida
Estero is a village in Lee County in southwest Florida that stretches along the Gulf Coast between Naples and Fort Myers. The area sits near the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve and includes mainly residential communities and golf facilities.
A German settler named Gustave Damkohler founded the first settlement in 1882 by planting mulberry trees along the Estero River and establishing citrus groves. Later groups arrived, including a religious community that further developed the area.
The Koreshan State Historic Site shows the remains of a religious community that arrived in 1894 and stayed active until 1961. Visitors today can walk through preserved buildings and gardens to see how this group lived.
The village has 11 golf courses within its borders, including 5 public and 6 private facilities, with more courses nearby in the region. Florida Gulf Coast University also sits here and brings students into the area.
The Hertz Arena hosts the Florida Everblades ice hockey team and sits near the university. Ice hockey in this warm coastal region of Florida surprises many visitors.
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