Lee County

The Tamiami Trail, a 273-mile stretch of road that connects Tampa to Miami, was built at the turn of the twentieth century.  It took 13 years and over 2.5 million sticks of dynamite to complete.

Fort Myers was built along the Caloosahatchee River as one of the first bases of operations during the Seminole Indian Wars.  It is named in honor of Colonel Abraham C. Myers, the son-in-law of the commander of Fort Brooke in Tampa.

Fort Myers was the location of the winter homes of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Charles Lindburgh, Harvey Firestone, and Dr. Alexis Carrel, a Nobel Prize-winning surgeon and biologist.

According to folk lore, Captiva Island got its name because a pirate captain named Jose Gaspar held his female prisoners on the island for ransom.

Fort Myers is the spring training locale for the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins.

Every baseball team that has used Fort Myers as a spring training home has won the World Series while training there. This includes the 1929 and 1930 Philadelphia A's, 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates, the 1985 Kansas City Royals, the 1987 and 1991 Minnesota Twins, and the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 (source: News-Press).

Collier County

Collier County is the largest county in Florida, with a total area of 2,305 square miles, and a land area of 2,025 square miles.  At least 80% of that land is set aside as preserve lands, wildlife refuges, state parks and a state forest.

Naples was founded during the late 1880s by former Confederate general and U.S. Senator John Stuart Williams.  The city got its name from developers who advertised it as having "a bay comparable to that of Naples, Italy."

Naples has been named "The #1 Small Art Town in America" by author John Villani in his book, The 100 Best Art Towns in America.  There are approximately 134 art galleries in the greater Naples area.

The Travel Channel designated Naples as "America's Best All-Around Beach for 2005" and named Naples on its list of the 20 Best Beaches in America in 2006.

Naples is often referred to as the "Golf Capital of the World," with over 80 championship golf courses and more holes per capita than any other area.

The Gulf Coast section of the Everglades is the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles cohabitate.

Marco Island is the largest of the "Ten Thousand Islands," a string of uninhabited mangrove islands that stretch from Naples down to the southern tip of Florida's mainland.

Collier County is the primary habitat for the endangered Florida panther.

Charlotte County

Ponce de Leon arrived in Charlotte Harbor in 1513, after landing in St. Augustine.

Charlotte Harbor was named after the British Queen Charlotte by surveyor Bernard Romans during a 1774 visit to the area.

President Teddy Roosevelt fished in Charlotte Harbor in March 1917 and caught a 16-foot manta ray.

Famous 14th District Residents

Many famous novelists, artists, actors, singers, athletes and historical figures currently call, or have called, the 14th Congressional District home:

Larry Bird, former NBA basketball player, Naples

Bert Blyleven, former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, Fort Myers

Michael Collins, astronaut on the Apollo 11 and Gemini 10, Marco Island

Robin Cook, author, Naples

J.N. "Ding" Darling, syndicated editorial cartoonist and conservationist, Captiva Island

Mike Ditka, former football coach, Naples

Clifton Fadiman, author, critic and moderator of the radio hit "Information Please," Sanibel Island

Helen Ketteman, children's author, Sanibel Island

Robert Ludlum, author, Naples

Mindy McCready, country music artist, Fort Myers

Robert Rauschenberg, artist, Captiva Island

Deion Sanders, former professional football player, Fort Myers

Judge Judith Sheindlin ("Judge Judy"), television judge, Naples

Dave Wannsteadt, former coach of the Miami Dolphins, Naples

Randy Wayne White, author, Pine Island

Office Locations

  • Washington, D.C.

    115 Cannon House
    Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20515
    Phone: 202-225-2536
    Fax: 202-226-0439
  • Cape Coral, FL

    804 Nicholas Parkway E.
    Suite 1
    Cape Coral, FL 33990
    Phone: 239-573-5837
    Fax: 239-573-9125
  • Naples, FL

    3299 Tamiami Trail East
    Suite 105
    Naples, FL 34112
    Phone: 239-252-MACK (6225)
    Fax: 239-252-8065
Office Locations Map