Naples is the county seat of Collier County on the western coast of Florida. Naples was the place to find the Calusa Indians in the 1700s and then to the Seminoles. The first European to step foot in Naples was the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon at the start of the 16th century. Former Confederate General John Stuart Williams and the friend and partner Walter N. Haldeman, who was from Louisville and the publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal, founded Naples in the 1880s. Using the newspaper free of charge advertising, the two promoted Naples’ beautiful mild climate and abundant wildlife. The name Naples was chosen since the climate and bay resembled Naples Italy. The Naples Hotel was built to attract the rich and famous to come and vacation in Naples, and the Naples pier was constructed in 1888 to allow boats easier use of the “city”, which was a real few streets etched out of the swamp. Naples was not formally established like a town until 1923.
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Naples’ identity like a tourist destination continues up to the present day. Naples remains a popular place for vacations along what is known in Florida as the Paradise Coast. The mild weather, attractive fishing and proximity towards the Everglades have helped Naples to develop and flourish, especially over the last half of the 20th century. Today, nearly 80% of the land in Collier County is placed aside as preserve lands, wildlife refuges, state parks or state forests. Naples is also known for its beautiful beaches and was voted the best beach by the Travel Channel in 2005, and one of the 20 best beaches in the country by them in 2006. Golfing is really a popular pastime in Naples with over 80 championship golf courses and more holes per capita than every other city in America! Naples also offers a thriving art community with approximately 134 galleries found in the greater Naples area.
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