Naples was founded during the late 1880s by former Confederate general and Kentucky U.S. Senator John Stuart Williams and his partner, Louisville businessman Walter N. Haldeman, the publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal. Throughout the 1870s and '80's, magazine and newspaper stories telling of the area's mild climate and abundant fish and game likened it to the sunny Italian peninsula. The name Naples caught on when promoters described the bay as "surpassing the bay in Naples, Italy".
Marco Island has retained much of the natural beauty of its beginning when the Calusa Indians inhabited the island over 5,000 years ago. Lush tropical foliage and over 200 species of birds including the American Bald Eagle are found here providing opportunities for birdwatching as well as outdoor enthusiasts. The azure waters of the Gulf invite boaters to spend endless hours in the sun.