The history of Marco Island can be traced as far back as 500 A.D., when the Calusa people inhabited the island as well as the rest of southwest Florida. A number of Calusa artifacts were discovered on Marco Island in 1896 by anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing as part of the Pepper-Hearst Expedition. The most notable artifact discovered was the carved wooden "Key Marco Cat" which is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution. When Spanish explorers came to the island in the mid 1500s, they gave the island the name La Isla de San Marcos after Gospel writer St. Mark. Early development of the island began in the late 1800s after the arrival of William Thomas Collier and his family. Collier founded the village of Marco on the island in 1870, and in 1896 Collier's son, William D. "Capt. Bill" Collier, opened a hotel on the island, known today as the Olde Marco Inn. Clam digging became a major industry on Marco Island and throughout the Ten Thousand Islands in the early 1900s. The Burnham Clam Cannery began operation near Caxambas Pass in 1903 and operated until 1929. The Doxsee Clam Cannery also operated from 1911 to 1947. Ferry service began to the island in 1912, which operated between Marco Island and the Isles of Capri. A road on the mainland linked the ferry landing with East Naples. A small piece of this road still exists today and is known as Barefoot Williams Road. Barron G. Collier purchased a large amount of land on Marco Island in 1922, and in 1927 the island incorporated as Collier City. Collier City was abolished in 1957. James Harvey Doxsee Sr. served as Collier City's only mayor. Also in 1927, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad began service to the island after extending their route from Fort Myers and Naples. The railroad ran to the island along the present route of State Road 951. Rail service was discontinued in 1944. The first vehicle bridge to the island was a small wooden swing bridge built in 1938 near Goodland on the southeast side of the island. Remnants of this bridge can be seen today next to the current Goodland Bridge. The island's ferry service was discontinued after the original Goodland Bridge opened. Significant development of Marco Island took place in the 1960s that made it into the tourist destination it is known as today. The Mackle brothers of the Deltona Corporation led the development of the island after purchasing large amounts of land there for $7 million. As a result of development, the S.S. Jolley Bridge opened for traffic in 1969. Marco Island was reincorporated as a city on August 28, 1997. On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the island.
Geography
Marco Island is located in southwestern Collier County, along the Gulf of Mexico. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,413 people, 7,517 households, and 17,134 housing units in the city. The population density was 1,352.0 inhabitants per square mile. There were 14,826 housing units at an average density of 1,402.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% American Indian, 1.1% Asian and 7.1% Hispanic or Latino. There were 7,517 households out of which 9.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21. The median income for a household in the city was $73,373, and the per capita income was $52,089. 2.1% of the population were below the poverty level.
