Original Location of the 1924 Tom Phillips Arches

In 1924 Tom Phillips built his Arches. They were the iconic front door to Fort Myers Beach. Beloved by it's citizens and vistors. The Arches were the gateway to Fort Myers Beach.

They were adjacent to Jack's for many years. The building that is now the Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center. It is quite the activity center. When the Arches were built, they faced his development "San Carlos On The Gulf". The Arches were the pride of San Carlos.

The plan was to light them up and install a bell. This never came about as a Hurricane in 1926 destroyed the area.

In 1926 after the great Miami Hurricane, Tom Phillips 1921 Wood Bridge ws destroyed. He used his own money and resources to procure the swing bridge. Theory is he bought it used from Broward County. He aligned his new swing bridge to the Arches. The swing bridge and the Arches marked the entrance to Fort Myers Beach from 1924-1979. The only way onto the island was through the Arches until 1960 when the bridge on the southern end of the island was put in.

Accross the street, Bonita Bills has hosted many fundraisers for our group. They are a very nice on the water eating facility that locals love.

The iconic Arches meant home to Fort Myers Beach citizens, and they meant Fort Myers Beach to our visitors. In the late 1970s the old swing bridge was prone to breakdowns. In 1979 work on a contract awarded to replace the swing bridge began, it was released to the public that the Arches would have to go. Many tried to save them.

Citizen groups like the Jaycees and others tried to save the Arches, they were successful in getting the Lee County Commisioners to ask the contractor to relocate the Arches to a County Park instead of destroying them. The contractor agreed to do it. A message was sent to FDOT state level officials to stand down on destroying the Arches until they could be relocated. Nowbody told the wrecking ball and forklift subcontractor.

Citizens, Government, FDOT and contractors were all in dismay. The Arches laid destroyed. Citizens were stopping on the side on the road and picking up pieces of the Arches to take home. One of the contractors Frank Hemelgarn relocated the remains of the Arches to his yard where they remained for 40 years.

Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches, Inc is committed to restoring them using some original materils. There is now a push to find a place to reconstruct them.