Celebrate the Veterans Day holiday with a free guided history walk from 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Wild Turkey Strand Preserve, 11901 Rod & Gun Club Road, Fort Myers.
This Conservation 20/20 preserve includes remnant structures from the Buckingham Army Air Field Flexible Gunnery School, a training base operated by the U.S. military in Lee County during World War II. Remnant structures to tour onsite include two munitions buildings and an elevated embankment that was used for gunnery training with moving objects to simulate air-to-air combat.
Nearly 50,000 acres in Lee County were once used as part of the Buckingham Army Air Field training base. Beginning in 1942, military recruits from across the country were trained at the base as turret gunners assigned to bomber planes flying over the European and Pacific Theaters. The air field was deactivated in 1945 when the war ended.
The walk will be approximately one-mile roundtrip and will follow a raised ADA-accessible surface.
Participants should bring a water bottle, hat, sunscreen and wear closed-toe shoes. The tour will begin at the preserve parking entrance. Parking is free. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Sign up by Nov. 10 at www.bit.ly/WTSPHike.
For more information about Conservation 20/20, visit www.Conservation2020.org or email Conservation2020@leegov.com.
For more information about Lee County Parks and Recreation locations, amenities and special events, visit www.leeparks.org, call 239-533-7275, email leeparks@leegov.com or visit leeparksandrecreation on Facebook and Instagram.
Residents and visitors can also explore more than 30 locations and earn rewards through Parks, Points & Perks, a free digital pass program available through May 2026. Learn more at www.visitfortmyers.com/ParksPass.
