Located in extreme southwestern Florida, Naples is in an area that was once home to Calusa and Seminole Indians. White settlers began arriving in the 1860s when Roger Gordon, a frontiersman and traveler, constructed a small fishing camp in the area. The nearby inlet, Gordon's Pass, bears his name.

In 1885, two wealthy Kentuckians, Walter Haldeman and John Williams sailed into Gordon's Pass. Williams named the town Naples after the ancient Italian city, Haldeman founded the Naples Town Improvement Company to encourage real estate development and tourism.

But the company was short lived, and the town became a refuge for wealthy hunters and vacationers seeking the unspoiled Florida wilderness. These seasonal visitors built winter homes among a scattering of local businesses, cattle ranches, and fish camps. The Naples Hotel, constructed during this time, became the center of the town's social life and would remain such for the next half century.

In 1923, Barron Gift Collier convinced the Florida legislature to establish a new county in the region, one that bore his name. He also provided funds to complete the Tamiami Trail Highway to Dade County, linking Collier County and Naples with the East Coast.

While many communities in Florida suffered greatly during the Depression, Naples weathered it fairly well thanks to an economy based on upper-class tourism. During World War II, the city joined with Collier County to build an airfield to train Army Air Force pilots. Many of the servicemen returned to Naples after the war, and the town enjoyed its most significant period of population growth. That growth has accelerated in recent decades, but the town has held on to its history.

Naples rich and diverse history is on display for visitors. The Naples Historic District features 66 well-preserved buildings, and the town maintains several historic residences including the Parker House and the Palm Cottage house museum. From its birth as an elite resort town to its current boom town status, Naples provides a history lesson on the changing face of Florida.

This podcast made possible through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Script written by Kyle Burke. Narrated by Dave Dunwoody.