(Editor’s note: The following items were taken directly from the headlines published in The Cape Coral Breeze from 1969-1974)

1969

• July – Population tops 12,000

• July – Formal incorporation talks begin

• November – Committee recommends incorporation

• December – Population nearly 13,500

1970

• February – Bill formally requesting incorporation referendum presented to legislative delegates

• April – Cape voter registration tops 5,200

• April – Population tops 14,000

• June – Cape incorporation bill introduced in House

• June – Cape incorporation bill OK’d by Senate

• July – County Commission to vote on incorporation issue

• August – Voters approve incorporation, 2,067 to 1,798

• September – 10 candidates qualify for city council posts

• October – 40 candidates seek city manager’s position

• November – City council primary election held

• November -Cape’s first council elected; 4,022 cast

• December – Paul Fickinger tabbed first city mayor

• December – Population tops 15,500

1971

• January – Charles Ryan named first city manger; Clyde Killer city attorney

• January – Council OKs $721,400 budget, 0.83 mil tax levy, city emblem

• January – City appoints Planning and Zoning Board

• April – City Council to move into new quarters on Del Prado Boulevard

• April – Population tops 16,000

• April – Jim White appointed Cape Police Chief

• June – $965,600 budget for 1972 presented to council

• July – City receives bids for police cars, radio equipment

• July – First five city police patrolmen on road in city

• August – Budget of $932,057 OK’d for 1972

• August – CCPD fully operational with 16 personnel

• October – Proposed truck parking ban protested

• October – Control of Fire Department transferred to city

• November – Population tops 17,500

• December – Paul Fickinger re-elected mayor

1972

• February – Court upholds city truck parking ordinance

• March – Council OKs parking of boats/trailers in back yards

• April – Population tops 18,000

• August – Council sets $1,643,596 budget for 1973

• October – Council OKs $600,000 city hall complex on

• December – Population tops 19,000

1973

• January – Chandler Burton elected new mayor

• May – City to buy Yacht Club for $100,000

• June – Ground broken for new City Hall

• July – City OKs $2.4 million budget

• November – Lee Evett takes over as City Manager

1974

• January – Cape voters OK separate mayoral election

• April – Cape has nearly 11,000 registered voters

• May – Herman Horton tabbed first voter-elected mayor

• July – Council bans smoking from meetings

• August – Municipal offices move to new City Hall complex

• August – New fire station at City Hall complex opens

• August – State OKs highway signs pointing way to Cape

• September – Enforcement of city seawall program begins

• November – Three elected to council seats

• November – Celebration marks end of tolls on Cape Coral Bridge