We visited Fort Myers and toured the Thomas Edison & Henry Ford Winter Estates. The grounds include the homes and offices used by Edison and Ford during their stays in south Florida, a large variety of plants and a museum. Both of these homes were much simpler in style than others we have toured. Edison's home, Seminole Lodge, was really two houses that are mirror images of each other and joined by a pergola. They had wide porches and French doors to allow air to flow through the houses. Edison had a generator that provided electricity since there was no power in Fort Myers at the time the houses were built. There are 13 individually styled brass electroliers that were patented and manufactured for the Edison Company. On the grounds was an office and garden located on the site of Edison's 1886 lab which was moved by Ford to Greenfield Village in Michigan. There is also a swimming pool constructed with portland cement for which Edison held a number of patents. These houses have all the original furnishings since they were owned by the Edison family until 1947 when they were deeded to the city. Ford's home, The Mangoes, was a simple bungalow with one wing for guests and another for two servants. The living room furniture was light wicker that could easily be moved so the room could be used for square dancing. The stove was electric which was rare for the early 1900's. They also had two old Fords on display. The large variety of plants on the grounds are part of the quest by Edison, Ford and their friend Harvey Firestone to find a domestic source for rubber. Of all the plants they brought in and experimented with the greatest producer of latex turned out to be goldenrod. The tree that fascinated us the most was the banyan tree. It was four foot tall when it was planted in 1925 but today it is the largest in the United States covering over one acre. The museum displays a number of the more than 1000 products on which Edison held patents. The car on display was the Model T that Ford gave to Edison. It was updated several times because Edison refused Ford's offer of having a new car every year. On the drive back we stopped at Fort Myers Beach to enjoy another great Florida sunset.
Seminole Lodge
Edison's Little Office
The Mangoes
Banyan Tree
Edison's Model T
Nickelodeon
We visited Fort Myers and toured the Thomas Edison & Henry Ford Winter Estates. The grounds include the homes and offices used by Edison and Ford during their stays in south Florida, a large variety of plants and a museum. Both of these homes were much simpler in style than others we have toured. Edison's home, Seminole Lodge, was really two houses that are mirror images of each other and joined by a pergola. They had wide porches and French doors to allow air to flow through the houses. Edison had a generator that provided electricity since there was no power in Fort Myers at the time the houses were built. There are 13 individually styled brass electroliers that were patented and manufactured for the Edison Company. On the grounds was an office and garden located on the site of Edison's 1886 lab which was moved by Ford to Greenfield Village in Michigan. There is also a swimming pool constructed with portland cement for which Edison held a number of patents. These houses have all the original furnishings since they were owned by the Edison family until 1947 when they were deeded to the city. Ford's home, The Mangoes, was a simple bungalow with one wing for guests and another for two servants. The living room furniture was light wicker that could easily be moved so the room could be used for square dancing. The stove was electric which was rare for the early 1900's. They also had two old Fords on display. The large variety of plants on the grounds are part of the quest by Edison, Ford and their friend Harvey Firestone to find a domestic source for rubber. Of all the plants they brought in and experimented with the greatest producer of latex turned out to be goldenrod. The tree that fascinated us the most was the banyan tree. It was four foot tall when it was planted in 1925 but today it is the largest in the United States covering over one acre. The museum displays a number of the more than 1000 products on which Edison held patents. The car on display was the Model T that Ford gave to Edison. It was updated several times because Edison refused Ford's offer of having a new car every year. On the drive back we stopped at Fort Myers Beach to enjoy another great Florida sunset. 
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