About Naples

The development of Naples, as we know it today, began in the late 19th Century with the arrival of General John S. Williams and Walter N. Haldeman from Kentucky. As their sloop sailed through Gordon Pass in 1885, General Williams reportedly was reminded of the Bay of Naples in Italy, and thus Naples was named. Williams immediately formed a company and began acquiring land. The first houses along the beach, the Naples Pier and a 16-room hotel were the company's first accomplishments.

Headlines at the time provided some insight into the company's plans: "Naples Company Sells More Than 1,000 Town Lots; People of Wealth and Prominence Expected to Build Winter Homes Here," read one. But by 1895, General Williams' company has floundered and was on the auction block. Haldeman, a member of the company, was the only bidder for what remained. For $50,000 he bought 8,600 acres of land that included what is now Olde Naples, along with the Naples Pier, the Hotel and General Williams' House. He continued to sell land and houses here until his death in 1912.

In 1914, the "Naples Improvement Company" was formed by Edward C. Crayton, who bought up many of Haldeman's holdings. Crayton expanded the Hotel to 40 rooms, but did not aggressively market land or houses. He was known to selling property only to those he personally thought would improve the community. The original pier, which was the main transportation link for Naples prior to construction of the railroad or the highway to Fort Myers, blew down during Hurricane Donna in 1960.

The Naples Hotel was located on 12th Avenue South three blocks from the pier. The antiquated pine building, erected in 1897, was razed in 1964. An annex was left standing, but it was destroyed in 1979. A shopping complex covers the site today. General Williams' house, which he built in 1885, still stands today near the beach on 12th Avenue South. Haldeman bought the house in 1890, and his descendant's sold it in 1998 to the city to preserve it for its historical value.