ACQUISITION
Hall of 50 States, Edwards Drive, Fort Myers
The Lee Trust was established on February 15, 1993, with a mission, in part, to buy endangered historic properties and sell them to buyers who would restore them. Lee Trust created a Revolving Fund to facilitate the acquisition and restoration of endangered or threatened historic properties. Revolving Fund properties are acquired and then sold to individuals interested in rescue and restoration. The Revolving Fund continues to identify endangered historic properties and potential purchasers interested in restoring such properties.
If you know of an endangered historic property worthy of preservation, or if you are interested in being matched with a property in need of restoration, contact us at Info@LeeTrust.org.
Lee Trust has facilitated the rescue of the Flint House and the Sumner Hall Residence.
EDUCATION
Lee Trust education efforts include the publication of a quarterly newsletter and sponsorship of educational events, workshops and lectures, such as the 2017 "Laboring in the Fields of the Lord" symposium. We invite historians and preservationists to share their expertise in their fields as speakers at Lee Trust events. Please contact us, if your organization wishes to engage a speaker from Lee Trust.
For examples of PAST Lee Trust Education events, please follow the links below.
ADVOCACY
Lee Trust works to designate historic neighborhoods and structures, to provide financial assistance to local organizations in order to facilitate historic preservation and education, and to raise public awareness about activities affecting historic landmarks. In addition, representatives of Lee Trust appear before various local governments and organizations and serve on local boards and committees to promote historic preservation efforts. Lee Trust volunteers have appeared before the Florida Historic Preservation Commission, Fort Myers City Council, Fort Myers Historic Preservation Commission, Lee County Commission, Fort Myers Beach Town Council, Bonita Springs City Council, Sanibel Historic Preservation Committee, and various local agencies and organizations on behalf of historic preservation interests in the region.
- Lee Trust initiated and participated in the designation of the Edison Park, Dean Park, and Seminole Park Historic Districts in the City of Fort Myers.
- Lee Trust was the applicant to designate the Burroughs Home, the Langford-Kingston Home, the Lee County Courthouse, and the Edison/Ford Winter Estates as historic sites on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Lee Trust was instrumental in the acquisition of the Mound House by the Fort Myers Beach Town Council.
- Lee Trust provided financial assistance to Koreshan Unity Alliance for restoration of the Art Hall.
- Lee Trust financially supported the production of several of the "Unknown Florida" television programs produced by WGCU.
- Lee Trust assisted the Calusa Land Trust with the purchase of the only surviving remnant of an ancient Calusa canal, which once bisected Pine Island.
- Lee Trust donated a vintage Steinway grand piano worth about $35,000 to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.
For other examples of Lee Trust Advocacy efforts, please see below.
Lee Trust has joined the national “This Place Matters” campaign initiated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The goal is to involve the community in identifying sites of historic and cultural significance. These sites add to community character and help define what makes our community unique and valuable.
We invite you to submit a photograph of a place that matters to you. It’s simple. Just make a sign that reads “This Place Matters” and take a photograph holding the sign in front of an historically or culturally significant place that matters to you. Please provide us with the location of the place that matters, who is in the photograph, and why the place matters to you.
On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, the College of Life Foundation continued its tradition of acting as a community catalyst in historic preservation and museum education with the award of a $13,000 gift to Lee Trust for Historic Preservation for its role in highlighting Lee County history and Viva Florida 500. The mission of the College of Life Foundation, Inc. is to preserve and educate about the history and environment of South Florida with an emphasis on the communal Koreshan activities. The College Life Foundation has generously underwritten ArtCalusa: Reflections on Representation, a nine-artist exhibition opening at the Fort Myers City Pier Building in November. The Florida Department of State has designated ArtCalusa a signature event for the Viva Florida 500 commemoration. The check presentation ceremony was held at Koreshan State Historic Site in the restored Art Hall, a project assisted by Lee Trust for Historic Preservation.