Cape Coral has transformed from a raw piece of land into a bustling city, thanks to the vision of brothers Jack and Leonard Rosen.
In the late 1950s, the Rosen's purchased 4,500 acres and quickly developed it into a waterfront wonderland.
The Yacht Club basin area of Cape Coral was the first developed area of the city. At the time, it was called Redfish Point.
The Rosen brothers.
The Rosen's promoted Cape Coral as a city with more canals than Venice, Italy, attracting many to this once remote location.
"Where is this place that we're going, because it was in the middle of nowhere," Elmer Tabor recalled. Tabor, who was eight years old at the time, was part of the 28th family to move to Cape Coral.
The Rosen's faced challenges in bringing businesses to the area.
"They didn't want to get involved in businesses, so they had a real challenge to go out in the middle of nowhere, find businesses or people that wanted to be pioneers and take the risk and chance and come down here and open a business," Tabor said.
Tabor's family opened the first grocery store in 1960 in Cape Coral, in the plaza where Big John's Plaza stands today. They then worked to recruit other businesses to the city.
"Trying to get the first doctor here — why would a doctor want to set up a doctor's office when there are 28 families in Cape Coral? That's nuts," Tabor said, highlighting the efforts of his grandfather, Andy Anderson, to bring essential services to the growing community.
In just 12 years, Cape Coral grew from a desolate point on navigational maps to a bustling, beautiful city.
"The initial 4,500 acres were well-planned, but the rapid growth brought challenges. A city growing so quickly, it couldn't keep up with its infrastructure and water needs," Tabor added.
However, he believes all growth issues can turn into success stories depending on the response.
"I think the most important thing is whatever you do, make it a better place for tomorrow and for the people that still are going to move here," Tabor said.
Cape Coral's population is nearing 250,000, with projections for more than 400,000, indicating significant growth ahead.