Marco Island, Florida

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Marco Island is a city and barrier island in Collier County, Florida, Template:Convert south of Naples on the Gulf Coast of the United States. It is the largest barrier island in Southwest Florida's Ten Thousand Islands area, which extends southerly to Cape Sable. Marco Island is home to an affluent beach community with resort amenities.

Marco Island is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,760 at the 2020 census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> down from 16,413 at the 2010 census. The population more than doubles during the winter.

Parts of the island have scenic, high elevations relative to the generally flat south Florida landscape. The island has a tropical climate; specifically, a tropical wet and dry or savanna type (Aw under the Köppen system). It is known for its distinct wet and dry seasons, with most of the rainfall between June and October.

History

File:Florida's Emerald Isle, Marco Island.ogv

Marco Island in the 1960s

Marco Island's history can be traced to 500 CE, when the Calusa people inhabited the island as well as the rest of southwest Florida. A number of Calusa artifacts were discovered on Key Marco (an island then adjacent, and since attached, to 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",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> now on display at the Marco Island Historical Museum under a loan from the Smithsonian Institution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The artifact is featured on a 1989 postage stamp.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When Spanish explorers came to the island in the mid-1500s, they gave the island the name La Isla de San Marcos after St. Mark, traditionally considered the author of the Gospel of Mark.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 his son, William D. "Capt. Bill" Collier, opened a hotel on the island, known today as the Olde Marco Inn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.Template:Citation needed The Doxsee Clam Cannery also operated from 1911 to 1947.Template:Citation needed In 1912, ferry service began between Marco Island and the Isles of Capri. A road on the mainland linked the ferry landing with East Naples (just west of State Road 951). A small piece of this road remains and is known as Barefoot Williams Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Barron G. Collier (whom Collier County is named after, and no relation to William T. 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.<ref name=history>Template:Cite news</ref> Also in 1927, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad began service to the island after extending its 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.<ref name="Turner">Template:Cite book</ref> The first vehicle bridge to the island was a small wooden swing bridge built in 1938 near Goodland on the island's east side. Remnants of this bridge can be seen next to the current bridge at the site, the Stan Gober Memorial Bridge (built in 1975). 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 retirement and tourist destination it is today. The Mackle brothers of the Deltona Corporation led 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Marco Island reincorporated as a city on August 28, 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As in many coastal communities, residents battle short-term rentals and traffic congestion.Template:Citation needed On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian devastated the island with an 8' storm surge.Template:Citation needed

Geography

Marco Island is in southwestern Collier County,<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> along the Gulf of Mexico. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (46.73%) is water.<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

Marco Island has a tropical climate that borders on a humid subtropical climate since the mean temperature in the coldest month, January, is Template:Convert which is barely over the Template:Convert threshold for a tropical climate. Template:Weather box

Demographics

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**Marco Island racial composition**
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)
Race	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	14,866	13,999	90.57%	88.83%
Black or African American (NH)	83	53	0.51%	0.34%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	13	19	0.08%	0.12%
Asian (NH)	178	175	1.08%	1.11%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)	5	1	0.03%	0.01%
Some other race (NH)	22	32	0.13%	0.20%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)	84	324	0.51%	2.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,162	1,157	7.08%	7.34%
Total	16,413	15,760

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,760 people, 9,056 households, and 6,109 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 16,413 people, 7,517 households, and 5,393 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.

Government

Political affiliation

Marco Island generally supports the Republican Party, as the city is represented in the House by Republican Byron Donalds and voted in favor of Republican incumbent Donald Trump during the 2020 election at margins varying from 62% to 73% over Democratic nominee Joe Biden. The region, however, voted more Democratic than it did during the 2016 election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Education

The District School Board of Collier County operates the following schools serving Marco Island:

Lely High School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Marco Island Academy High School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Marco Island Charter Middle School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Tommie Barfield Elementary School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Private schools:

Island Montessori AcademyTemplate:Citation needed
Marketplace Mission Learning CenterTemplate:Citation needed

Transportation

Two bridges provide road access to the island via Collier Boulevard and San Marco Road (CR 92). There are two public access locations with parking and amenities (Tigertail and South Beach), a private beach complex for residents (Residents' Beach), a private parking area for residents (Sarazen Park at South Beach), and two other public access points (with no amenities). Offshore island beaches, such as Keewaydin, are accessible by boat or tour.Template:Citation needed

Marco Island Executive Airport (MKY) provides general aviation service to the area. It is Template:Convert northeast of the island's central business district. The closest regularly scheduled commercial flights to the area arrive at Southwest Florida International Airport.

Marco Island is served by Collier Area Transit's Route #21 and Route #121 (Express: Immokalee to Marco Island).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>