Big John shortly after he came to town in 1969. CAPE CORAL BREEZE FILE

From the early years of Cape Coral mostly garnered from the headlines of the Cape Coral Breeze:

* In June 1965, the Iwo Jima statue was dedicated at the Rose Gardens

* The first mass was held at the Catholic Church in August 1965.

* Celebrities Bob Hope and reigning Miss USA-World Dianna Lynn Batts made an appearance at the Rose Gardens in February 1966.

* Ground was broken for the Sunset Towers in April 1966.

* The Southland Corporation opened a 7-Eleven store on Coronado Parkway at Miramar Court in June 1966.

* In August 1966, the Miss Florida World pageant was held at the Cape Coral Yacht Club.

* The community’s first traffic light was erected in September 1966 at the corner of Cape Coral Parkway and Coronado Parkway.

* Street lights first appeared in Cape Coral in November 1966 on Cape Coral Parkway aDel Prado Boulevard.

* In August 1967, the 4 millionth vehicle crossed the Cape Coral Bridge

* A resident landed a 14-foot, 650-pound sawfish in the Caloosahatchee in May 1968.

* In December 1968, actress Kim Novak visited her parents in Cape Coral.

* In February 1969, a “Sun Country” TV special starring Hank Williams Jr. was filmed in Cape Coral.

* Big John came to town in July 1969.

* “Fantasia” was the featured film in May 1971 at Cape Coral Cinema.

* Barbara Mandrell and Johnny Paycheck perform at the Yacht Club in July 1971.

* Pat Dobson, son of Cape residents Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Dobson, earns his 20th win with the Baltimore Orioles in September 1971.

* In February 1972, a court upholds the city’s truck parking ordinance.

* Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw lead Texas to the 1972 NCAA Golf Championship at the Cape Coral Country Club in June.