By Jennifer Eblin
Marco Island is a 24 square mile long island located off the coast of Florida. The island has just 15,000 residents, but the population doubles during the warmer months. It's most often referred to as a
resort island.
Early Residents
The first residents of Marco Island were the Calusa Indians who lived there as early as 4000 B.C. Mounds, temples and burial locations of those Indians are still there.
Spanish Explorers
Spanish explorers arrived on the Island during the 1750s. Smallpox and other diseases they brought with them caused epidemics that killed off the Calusa.
Olde Marco Inn
William D. Collier built the Old Marco Inn during the late 1890s. He was the son of W.T. Collier, who arrived in 1870 and became the first white settler on the island.
Barron G. Collier
Barron G. Collier purchased much of the land comprising Marco Island in 1922, with hopes of building a resort there. Plans for the resort ended when the Great Depression hit.
The Mackell Brothers
Elliott, Robert and Frank Mackell Junior purchased the island from the Collier family during the 1960s. They created entertainment attractions, hotels, restaurants and built a new bridge for travelers to access Marco Island, turning it into a tourist destination.
About the Author:
Jennifer Eblin has been a full-time freelance writer since 2006. Her work has appeared on several websites, including Tool Box Tales and Zonder. Eblin received a master's degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
