Fun Facts: 10 things to know about the cities around Collier County

Samantha Neely, Fort Myers News-Press
·4 min read
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Not everywhere can you go from strolling high-end boutiques and dining in fancy restaurants to being knee-deep in the swamp and seeing an array of wildlife. But you can in Collier County.

Home to over 385,000 residents, the Southwest Florida county is known for its world-renowned restaurants, stunning nature scenery, pockets of culture, and luxurious lifestyles.

But there is a lot of county history that might go unnoticed or unknown by both locals and visitors. Here are 10 fun facts about various cities sprinkled throughout Collier County that even old-timers might not have known.

Facts about neighbor Lee County: Fun facts: Here are 12 things you may not know about Lee County communities

Naples is named the No. 1 Small Arts Town in America

Art enthusiasts looking for new galleries or museums to explore are in luck. Naples has over 100 art galleries in the Greater Naples area alone. The Southwest Florida city has even been cited as the "#1 Small Art Town" in America in John Villani’s book The 100 Best Art Towns in America.

Some of the hit galleries throughout Naples include:

  • East West Fine Art

  • KAJ Gallery

  • Art on Fifth Avenue

  • Native Visions Gallery

  • Galerie de Soleil

Naples has more millionaires per capita than any other city in Florida

As one of the wealthiest cities in the entire nation, experts claim that Naples has more millionaires per capita than any other city in Florida. The average annual household income in Naples is $248,988, while the median household income sits at $125,306 per year according to Naples real estate website Point2.

And it also has the most golf holes per capita than any other city in the nation

Naples has gained a reputation as the 'Golf Capital of the World,' with roughly 90 18-hole golf courses scattered throughout the greater Naples area. About 30 of those courses are accessible to the public, giving residents a chance to work on their swings.

The beautiful Naples Grande Golf Course is just a wedge shot across the lake from the stellar residences at Moorings Park Grande Lake.
The beautiful Naples Grande Golf Course is just a wedge shot across the lake from the stellar residences at Moorings Park Grande Lake.

The first National Preserve established by the National Park Service was Big Cypress National Preserve

Sitting in the incorporated community of Ochopee, Big Cypress National Preserve is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island and hosts an array of flora and fauna.

The Everglades is the only place where alligators and crocodiles coexist

Crocodilian enthusiasts will enjoy the ability to spot both reptiles in their natural habitats.

Want to know how to tell the difference? Alligators are black, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, compared to the grayish-green color of the crocodile. And while hopefully, you won't ever be close enough to see its snout, you’ll see that alligators have a broad, rounded snout while crocodiles have a “narrow, tapered, triangular snout,” according to SeaWorld’s website.

More: Crocodiles and alligators look alike, but here are the differences between the two reptiles

Everglades City is the Stone Crab Capital of the World

Stone crabs are harvested from October 15 to May 15, with Everglades City celebrating the start of the season each year with its annual Stone Crab Festival in October. Fishermen typically remove the claw and return the crabs to the ocean to regenerate new ones.

Everglades City used to be the County Seat of Collier County

Speaking of Everglades City, it used to be the County Seat for Collier County until it was dethroned by Naples in 1962 due to damage from Hurricane Donna.

Marco Island is the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands

In Collier County, residents can find a chain of islands and mangrove islets between Cape Romano and the mouth of the Lostmans River. Marco Island is the largest with six miles of beach and over 100 miles of waterways within its 24 square miles.

Cape Romano Domes used to lurk in Marco Island's waters

If you've ever seen photos of Marco Island, odds are you've seen pictures of the mysterious and alien-like Cape Romano domes.

The iconic landmark was an abandoned house consisting of six dome-shaped modules on stilts built by Bob Lee, a now-deceased retired oil producer, in 1980. They were meant to be a dream home but slowly began disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico. They were fully submerged after Hurricane Ian swept through the area in September of 2022.

The iconic Cape Romano dome home near Marco Island has long been a gem for Southwest Florida tourists. The now submerged home once sat on the shore and consists of six domes, two of which have sunk into the ocean due to erosion. The mysterious dome homes near Marco Island have long enticed tourists in the area. Last time we reported on the domes, the state had taken over jurisdiction of the land the domes are on, but their plans for the property were not yet known. The photo was taken Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.

Immokalee means 'your home' in the Mikasuki language

The Mikasuki, Hitchiti-Mikasuki, or Hitchiti language is a language that belongs to the Muskogean language family. As of 2014, Mikasuki was spoken by around 290 people in southern Florida.

According to historians, the region was first settled by the Calusa people. It was later inhabited by Seminoles centuries later after they moved down from northern Florida. Initially, the settlement was known as Gopher Ridge by the Seminole and Miccosukee nations.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Naples, Marco Island and other Collier County, Florida fun facts