Edison & Ford Winter Estates

Fort Myers, Florida: Nestled between the bank of the Caloosahatchee River and the tree lined McGregor Boulevard lies the winter retreat of two of the country’s leading men who helped shaped America by creating some of the modern conveniences we use on a daily basis. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is a collection of buildings that were once the vacation homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. It is here where the two friends took a break from the hectic world.

Thomas Edison first visited Florida in 1885 to escape the cold weather from his native New Jersey. He purchased a tract of land along a cattle trail that ran into Punta Rassa. The 13 acre property along the river contained a cracker house that was a hold-over for the cattle ranchers are the moved the herd down the path. Edison purchased the property from $2750 and his Florida retreat was becoming a reality.

Edison’s first major project on the property was to build his homestead in which he called the Seminole Lodge. The Seminole Lodge consisted of two identical houses build side by side. One in which Edison and his family resided in and the other was lived in by his business partner Ezra Gilliland. The relationship between Gilliland and Edison would eventually deteriorate due to a bad business deal and Edison cut off power and water to the Gilliland side of the property. This forced Gilliland to leave and Edison would eventually purchase that portion of the property back and remodel them to function as one house.

In 1886, Edison built a lab in which Edison and a few members of his staff would work on some of his inventions while away on break in Florida. From this lab, Edison worked on bamboo filament for light bulbs, the phonograph and more projects from his lab. The lab remained in operation until the 1920’s when Henry Ford relocated the lab to his Greenfield Village Historical Village project in Dearborn, Michigan.

Edison’s wife negotiated with Ford to build an office, garden and fund renovations to the pool complex as payment for relocating the lab. He agreed and in 1929 the Moonlight Gardens and Little Office were added to the Seminole Lodge. He also renovated the pool area by adding a tea house and bath house.

The complex expanded once again in1928 when Edison built the Edison Botanic Research Laboratory. During the World War I, there was concern that the nation’s rubber supply would become short so Edison, Ford and Harvey Firestone partnered to create a natural rubber. The function of the lab was to cultivate plants to try and create a natural latex material to manufacture rubber. After trying several types of plants, Edison eventually narrowed his efforts to goldenrod. By the entrance to the lab, Edison planted a four foot Banyan tree that was given to him as a gift by Firestone. Today that Banyan tree has grown to over an acre in size.

Edison passed away in 1931 and his wide Mina continued to hold the property until her passing in 1947. In 1947 Mina deeded the Seminole Lodge, all buildings and contents to the City of Fort Myers to be used as used for public enjoyment and by 1950 public tours began.

On the other side of the Friendship Fence lies the Ford Estate known as the Mangoes. While it is not as grand as Edison’s Seminole Lodge, it is still a remarkable piece of property.

Ford visited Edison several times throughout the years and stayed in the guest house at the Seminole Lodge. In 1916, neighboring land owner Robert Smith approached Ford with the offer to sell him the neighboring 4 acre parcel. Ford mailed Mr. Smith a check for $20,000 to purchase the property and thus became the Mangoes.

The Mangoes is a two story bungalow style home and a detached cottage building that had a one-car garage. Ford would regularly visit the Mangoes until Edison’s death in 1931. Following Edison’s death, Ford did not visit much and eventually sold the property in 1945 for the same price he purchased it at in 1916. The City of Fort Myers would eventually purchase the property in 1988 for $1.5 million dollars.

Today both the Seminole Lodge and the Mangoes are known collectively as the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Here you can tour the homes, gardens and laboratory that were once own by two of the most important figures in early industrial America. In addition to the original building and grounds, there is also a 15,000 square foot museum that gives insight in to the inventors and their inventions.

Admission into the estates includes an audio tour of the grounds. The 20 stop audio tour includes nine historical buildings and 20 acres of botanical gardens. Some of the sights along the way include:

• Family Home Section of the Seminole Lodge
• Guest Home Section of the Seminole Lodge
• The Mangoes
• Ford Automobile Exhibit
• Ford Caretaker’s Cottage
• Caloosahatchee River Outlook/Edison Pier
• Moonlight Garden
• Edison’s Little Office
• Edison’s Caretaker House
• Lily Pond
• Pool Complex
• Fountain
• Botanical Lab Banyan Tree

In addition to the points of interest along the way, there are two gift shops and the Banyan Café.

If you want to enhance your experience at the Estates, they offer specialized tours including:

• Historian Led Tour
• Museum and Lab Visit
• Behind the Scenes Tour
• Botanical Tour
• Young Inventors Tour
• Family Tour
• Group Tour

The buildings of the Estates are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as being designated a Florida Heritage Landmark.

Click on the photo above to view my Edison/ Ford Winter Estates photo gallery.