Matanzas Inn Restaurant

416 Crescent Street

Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931

(239) 463-3838

Website

By Water   26.456294, -81.953361

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The first development on the island took place in 1911 on what was then called Crescent Beach. Our canal was the first on the island and was dredged by David Ireland who also dug the Lake Okeechobee Waterway. The first bridge to the Island was built in 1921 and destroyed in the 1926 hurricane which made Hurricane and Captiva Passes. It was rebuilt as a 'swing bridge' which operated until the current 'high rise' span opened in 1979. Our site was the location of the first island grocery and service station prior to the motel being built in the 1960s. As late as 1948 the entire island north of the bridge (approx. 110 acres) was purchased for only $125,000. In 1950 shrimp were first discovered in the Dry Tortugas (off of Key West) and the local fleet grew to over 150 boats by 1953. The industry is smaller now, with foreign sources and farms, but we still prefer our local shrimp.