FORT MYERS, a city of south-western Florida, U.S.A., on the Caloosahatchee river, 18m. from the Gulf of Mexico; the county seat of Lee county. It is served by the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line railways, by motor bus lines with extensive connections and by steamers to gulf ports, and has a municipal airport. The population in 1925 (State census) was (33% negroes) and in 1930 it was 9,082 by the Federal census. The river here is about 2m. wide. A deep-water channel to the gulf is projected, and plans are under way for a cross-State waterway to the East Coast, via Lake Okeechobee. Grapefruit, oranges, guavas, mangoes, avocados, papayas and bananas are grown extensively in this region. The city's boulevards are lined with royal palms, and nearly i oo varieties of palm are found in the city and along the banks of the river, which is stocked with tarpon. The city was founded in 185o and incorporated in 1905. It has a commission-manager form of government. Between 1920 and 1927 the area was increased from 7 to 20 sq.m.; the popula tion was multiplied by five; and the assessed valuation of property increased from $5,885,35o to $33,706,960.