National Register of Historic Places

Towles, William H., House

Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida
Listed
May 28, 2008
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
08000463

About this property

The William H. Towles House is a historic house at 2050 McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, Florida, United States. On May 29, 2008, it was added to the US National Register of Historic Places. One of the most colorful characters in Fort Myers history was William H. "Bill" Towles(September 28, 1852 – June 25, 1921). It was he who gave Fort Myers its present courthouse, standing guard with a shotgun to ward off opponents while workmen labored all night to tear down the old courthouse before a court order could be obtained to stop the move. Bill Towles was a cattle operator on a large scale who made a fortune shipping beef to Cuba. Born in 1852 at Perry, Florida, he got into the cattle business while a young man, moved his cattle to Fort Myers ranges in 1884 and went into business with James E. Hendry Sr. Towles led the fight in establishing Lee County, Florida and for many years served as county commissioner, and it was as chairman of the board that he forced the building of the new courthouse. He also served for several years as a member of the town council.

Location

2050 McGregor Blvd.
Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida
26.64022, -81.87369

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Lee County Courthouse
Industrial
0.3 mi
Fort Myers Downtown Commercial District
Early Republic
0.5 mi
Edison Park Elementary School
Industrial
0.5 mi
Edison, Thomas, Winter Estate
Listed
0.6 mi
Ford, Henry, Estate
Industrial
0.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Fort Myers Florida
1865Civil War
0.1 mi
Battle of Fort Myers – Rebel Cattle Raid
1864Civil War
0.1 mi
Fort Myers Area Skirmishes
1865Civil War
0.1 mi
Battle of Fort Myers
1865Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Towles, William H., House listed on the National Register?

Towles, William H., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 28, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Towles, William H., House?

Towles, William H., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Towles, William H., House?

The period of significance for Towles, William H., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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