Saturday, December 13, 2025, 12 - 3 p.m., EIHS historic cottage, 161 Bay Road
Christmas Open House
Join EIHS members and friends for a festive holiday gathering in the Christmas-decorated Historic Cottage at 161 Bay Road. Enjoy camaraderie, complimentary refreshments, and a holiday-themed photo display celebrating the old days on Fort Myers Beach. All are welcome!
Monday, January 12, 2026, 1 - 2 p.m., Fort Myers Beach Public Library
Public Meeting with Lee Melsek
Retired Fort Myers News-Press investigative reporter Lee Melsek will recount tales of the golden past (1950s - ‘60s) growing up on Fort Myers Beach in his 2025 published book: Finding Huck: Adventures Down Yonder.
Monday, January 19, 2026, 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon
Tea by the Sea, St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, 5601 Williams Dr., FMB
Co-hosted by the EIHS and Ostego Bay Marine Science Center, this gracious event celebrates our volunteers and the rebuilding of St. Raphael’s. Enjoy high tea on fine china, and stay for a special guest speaker following the celebration. Registration is required for Tea by the Sea only. Please RSVP here.
Monday, January 19, 2026, 1 - 2 p.m.: Special Presentation
“The New Great Hall of Shells at the National Shell Museum & Aquarium,” St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, 5601 Williams Dr., FMB
Dr. José H. Leal, Ph.D., the Science Director and Curator of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, will provide an insider’s view of the new exhibits at the renovated Great Hall of Shells at the Museum. Completion of Phase 2 of the Great Hall was the last step in physical renovations following the damage inflicted on the Museum by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
Monday, February 9, 2026, 1 - 2 p.m., Fort Myers Beach Public Library
Public Meeting with Robert Macomber
Perennial favorite EIHS presenter Robert Macomber will enthrall guests with his research on “Deep Ditches and Bright Lights” — The story of how SW Florida acquired the channels and lighthouses we rely upon.
Internationally acclaimed lecturer, author & TV/film commentator, Robert N. Macomber is best known for his 17 multi-award-winning books. His talent, professionalism and personality enliven his presentations as a historian specializing in maritime subjects, Victorian-Edwardian world history, and American history.
Monday, March 9, 2026, 1 - 2 p.m., Fort Myers Beach Public Library
Public Meeting with Barbara Puffer and Ellie Bunting
Faith by the Sea: Tracing the Spiritual Roots of Fort Myers Beach” will present the history of the Catholic Church of the Ascension and St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church on Fort Myers Beach. The EIHS invites others to speak about the history of other FMB churches.
Barbara Puffer was the historian for the Parish Catholic Women’s Club and was writing a 60-year history of that group when Hurricane Ian struck in September 2022, and things became understandably unglued. The Club history project became a 40-page book that Barbara will share, along with published Diocesan plans to rebuild the Parish campus by the end of 2027.
