Naples might be a world-class destination today, but in the late 1800s, it was an isolated stretch of coastline accessible only by boat. It took a group of ambitious developers and investors to transform this wild paradise into a thriving resort town — laying the foundation for the Naples we know and love.
The Naples Town Improvement Company
In 1886, a group of wealthy Kentucky businessmen — led by former U.S. Senator John Stuart Williams and Louisville newspaper owner Walter Haldeman — formed the Naples Town Improvement Company. Their dream was to create a winter resort that would rival those in Palm Beach and along Florida’s east coast.
They purchased 3,700 acres of land and set to work building infrastructure. The crown jewel of their efforts was the construction of the Naples Hotel, a luxury retreat that became the centerpiece of the town, and the Naples Pier, which served as the lifeline for passengers and goods arriving by sea.
Laying the Groundwork for Growth
These developers promoted Naples heavily in northern newspapers, attracting vacationers and investors looking for a warm winter escape. They mapped out streets, sold plots of land, and encouraged settlers to make Naples their seasonal or full-time home.
Their efforts were not without challenges — mosquitoes, heat, and isolation kept population growth slow at first — but they established a vision for Naples that would inspire future development and tourism for generations.
Legacy of the Early Pioneers
Today, Naples’ early developers are remembered for turning a remote corner of Florida into a sought-after destination. Their work paved the way for later improvements, including the extension of the railroad in the 1920s and the eventual construction of the Tamiami Trail — key milestones that brought Naples into the modern era.
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