As we leave Everglades City, we now will travel up the Gulf coast on the western side of Florida. This road trip is a large oblong circle taking in coastal sites and not too much of the center of the state. However, The Everglades are a great part of the interior which we saw plenty of! Our first stop today was in Fort Myers. Our plan, visit the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. In 1885, inventor Thomas Alva Edison was cruising Florida's west coast and stopped to visit Fort Myers. He bought 13 acres along the Caloosahatchee River in town. There he built his home "Seminole Lodge" as a winter retreat. It included a laboratory for his continuing work. After the Lodge was completed in 1886, Edison and his wife, Mina, spent many winters in Fort Myers.
Henry & Clara Ford with Thomas & Mina Edison
We entered the estate grounds through the exquisite nursery which this lovely purple flowered covered trellis serves as a welcome.
The garden center is dedicated to Mina Edison who loved gardening and enhanced the grounds with her plants and gardens. The Mina Edison Statue, Thomas Edison’s wife, is prominently placed in the garden center.
Mina Miller Edison married Thomas Alva Edison in 1886. This was the same year that the two began to create their winter estate in Fort Myers. They enjoyed creating areas for botanical research and family pleasure gardens as well as kitchen and truck gardens. Mina was born in 1865 enjoying life into her 82nd year, passing in 1947.
As we walked through the garden center to enter the Winter Estate grounds, we pass a Banyan Tree grove with a statue of Thomas Edison among the trees. During the period of 1914 to 1918 (World War I), Edison became concerned about America's reliance on foreign supplies of rubber. He partnered with tire producer Harvey Firestone, of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, and Henry Ford, of the Ford Motor Company, to try to find a rubber tree or plant that could grow quickly in the United States. He sought one that would contain enough latex to support his research endeavor. In 1927, the three men contributed $25,000 each, and created the Edison Botanic Research Corporation in an attempt to find a solution to this problem. They thought that perhaps the Banyan tree would be the answer. This small grove was part of their experiment.
Henry & Clara Ford with Thomas & Mina Edison
We entered the estate grounds through the exquisite nursery which this lovely purple flowered covered trellis serves as a welcome.
The garden center is dedicated to Mina Edison who loved gardening and enhanced the grounds with her plants and gardens. The Mina Edison Statue, Thomas Edison’s wife, is prominently placed in the garden center.
Mina Miller Edison married Thomas Alva Edison in 1886. This was the same year that the two began to create their winter estate in Fort Myers. They enjoyed creating areas for botanical research and family pleasure gardens as well as kitchen and truck gardens. Mina was born in 1865 enjoying life into her 82nd year, passing in 1947.
As we walked through the garden center to enter the Winter Estate grounds, we pass a Banyan Tree grove with a statue of Thomas Edison among the trees. During the period of 1914 to 1918 (World War I), Edison became concerned about America's reliance on foreign supplies of rubber. He partnered with tire producer Harvey Firestone, of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, and Henry Ford, of the Ford Motor Company, to try to find a rubber tree or plant that could grow quickly in the United States. He sought one that would contain enough latex to support his research endeavor. In 1927, the three men contributed $25,000 each, and created the Edison Botanic Research Corporation in an attempt to find a solution to this problem. They thought that perhaps the Banyan tree would be the answer. This small grove was part of their experiment.
Edison, Ford and Firestone formed the Edison Research Corporation in 1927 to find a fast-growing, natural source of rubber that could be grown in the United States. Ficus trees, such as the banyan, produce a fair amount of latex. However, labor costs and the tree's slow growth made this option impractical for Edison, who was looking for a plant that could be harvested several times a year.
The sprawling Edison Seminole Lodge is made up of the Family Home, pergola and Guest House. The Edison Moonlight Garden and Little Office were built in the 1920's and the Edison Caretaker's House was added in the same period with a garage and living quarters. There is also a pool, tea house and seawall recreation area adjacent to the river.
The Thomas Edison Winter Estate House and Guest House with a covered walkway pergola is what he had named "Seminole Lodge". The house stretches across the property with a large front yard and gardens facing Riverside Drive and the back encompassing another glorious large grassy yard with several gardens facing the brilliant Caloosahatchee River.
The property also has a caretakers house on it. The caretaker house was the only structure on the land when Edison purchased the property in 1885. He decided to keep it and repair it to use for the employees.
This caretakers house was referred to as the "Summerlin House".
The sprawling Edison Seminole Lodge is made up of the Family Home, pergola and Guest House. The Edison Moonlight Garden and Little Office were built in the 1920's and the Edison Caretaker's House was added in the same period with a garage and living quarters. There is also a pool, tea house and seawall recreation area adjacent to the river.
The Thomas Edison Winter Estate House and Guest House with a covered walkway pergola is what he had named "Seminole Lodge". The house stretches across the property with a large front yard and gardens facing Riverside Drive and the back encompassing another glorious large grassy yard with several gardens facing the brilliant Caloosahatchee River.
The property also has a caretakers house on it. The caretaker house was the only structure on the land when Edison purchased the property in 1885. He decided to keep it and repair it to use for the employees.
This caretakers house was referred to as the "Summerlin House".
Thomas Alva Edison, named the 20th century "Man of the Millennium" by LIFE magazine. Thomas Alva Edison is best known for perfecting a commercially viable incandescent light bulb. However, Edison was also a newspaper printer, telegrapher, inventor, businessman, boss, husband, father, and friend. During his remarkable career, Edison was awarded 1,093 United States patents and is the only person granted a patent every year for 65 consecutive years.
The Edison Swimming Pool Complex: Built in 1910, the 50′ x 20′ swimming pool is believed to have been constructed using Edison Portland Cement and was one of the first residential pools. In a 1928 remodel, the Pool House with changing rooms and a shower, and Tea House were added.
A view of the Edison Estate from the pier on the Caloosahatchee River
A beautiful Lily pad pond located behind the swimming pool complex
Coconut Palms surround the beautiful Lily pad pond
The Edison Swimming Pool Complex: Built in 1910, the 50′ x 20′ swimming pool is believed to have been constructed using Edison Portland Cement and was one of the first residential pools. In a 1928 remodel, the Pool House with changing rooms and a shower, and Tea House were added.
A view of the Edison Estate from the pier on the Caloosahatchee River
A beautiful Lily pad pond located behind the swimming pool complex
Coconut Palms surround the beautiful Lily pad pond
A view from some of the 13 acres of the estate overlooking the Caloosahatchee River
The estate also has a marina
Edison Pier: Originally called "The Wharf", it was a working area to off-load boats carrying materials and contents for the homes and laboratory, beginning in November 1885. In the 1920's Edison Pier had many beautiful improvements. These included the addition of a feature at the entrance of the pier. It was comprised of a rustic bridge, benches, and a trellis wrapped with colorful bougainvillea vine. Edison improved the pier by lengthening it into the Caloosahatchee River about 1,500 feet and adding small docks, boat houses and a summer house.
The estate also has a marina
Edison Pier: Originally called "The Wharf", it was a working area to off-load boats carrying materials and contents for the homes and laboratory, beginning in November 1885. In the 1920's Edison Pier had many beautiful improvements. These included the addition of a feature at the entrance of the pier. It was comprised of a rustic bridge, benches, and a trellis wrapped with colorful bougainvillea vine. Edison improved the pier by lengthening it into the Caloosahatchee River about 1,500 feet and adding small docks, boat houses and a summer house.
Garden walk and fountain from the home to the pier
The Edison Home Library with Thomas Edison's phonograph
Thomas and Mina Edison's Bedroom
The Edison's Living Room
Edison Family Den
The purchase of the guest house in 1906 allowed the Edison family to entertain and house important guests while reserving the Main House for private family use. The Seminole Lodge guest book reflects Edison's status as an international icon. Names such as Forbes, Colgate, Kellogg, Burroughs, Ford, Firestone, and Hoover may be found among its pages. The guest house is attached to the main house through an outdoor pergola breezeway structure.
The Sitting Room in the guest house at Seminole Lodge
The Dining Room in the guest house at Seminole Lodge
The guest house was where the Kitchen, Food Pantry and Butler's Pantry were located. This kept the heat and noise away from the Edison's.
Queenie Adams: Wizard of the Edison Kitchen ..... Queenie Adams served as the Edison family cook from 1926 until her death in January of 1937. Although she was from Florida, Adams often traveled with the Edison family to New Jersey to assist with the cooking duties at their main residence. With a keen sense of humor and a cheerful demeanor, Queenie was noted for her fried chicken, homemade ice cream and coconut cake which she lovingly called "Sunshine Cake." "She was as much a wizard in the kitchen as her late employer was in the laboratory".
The Edison Guest House welcomed visitors such as Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone who stayed for days, while Charles Lindbergh came for dinner. Many received reminders of a Florida visit when mangoes, grapefruit, guava and orange marmalade would arrive at their northern homes.
The office was the communication center for the laboratory. Here, Edison and his staff wrote and received correspondence, weighed plant samples, drafted garden plots, and kept a research library and extensive herbarium collection.
The towering goldenrod specimen pictured left was Edison's top pick for a rubber-producing plant after testing some 17,000 plant samples. By selectively crossbreeding the plant, he was able to dramatically increase its size and the amount of rubber it could produce.
Edison's Laboratory at his Winter Home Estate
"I have not failed.
I've found 10,000 ways that won't work."
Thomas A. Edison
1,093 U.S. Patents
On our short walk next door to the Ford Estate, we passed this wonderful tree with Vanilla Orchids growing. The sign at the base of the tree says "Vanilla Orchid - Vanilla planifolia - On vanilla plantations, a worker hand-pollinates each flower. The pods are harvested before fully ripe and dried for 2-6 months. Each pod contains thousands of seeds. Most of the world's vanilla comes from Madagascar and Reunion Island. Imitation vanilla is made from a byproduct of wood pulp, pine sap or a number of chemical processes." 
On our short walk next door to the Ford Estate, we passed this wonderful tree with Vanilla Orchids growing. The sign at the base of the tree says "Vanilla Orchid - Vanilla planifolia - On vanilla plantations, a worker hand-pollinates each flower. The pods are harvested before fully ripe and dried for 2-6 months. Each pod contains thousands of seeds. Most of the world's vanilla comes from Madagascar and Reunion Island. Imitation vanilla is made from a byproduct of wood pulp, pine sap or a number of chemical processes." 
Henry Ford Statue at The Mangoes
Ford Model T Touring Car
Cars in the Museum garage
Henry Ford's Florida Estate: In 1916 Edison's neighbor, Robert Smith, wrote to Ford relating, "Personally, I would prefer for you to buy it and in this I express the sentiment of the people of Fort Meyers. We are all proud to have Mr. Edison spend his winters here and would be just as proud to have Mr. Henry Ford become one of our winter residents." Henry Ford did purchase the home, becoming his good friend and fellow inventor and business partner Thomas Edison's next door neighbor. He named his estate "The Mangoes" for the over 100 Mango and fruit trees on the property.
Henry Ford's Kitchen Butler's Pantry
At The Mangoes, Henry Ford's home's Maid's Bedroom
The Maid's Bedroom Lamp
Henry Ford's Secretary also had his own bedroom at The Mangoes
Views of the Sitting Room at Henry Ford's Winter Estate
For any visitor, the home's Guest Bedroom
Inside the Ford Home … In the late 1920's Ford added two bedrooms and bath suites to the first floor as wings to the original building. These areas were necessary space for guests and staff such as Ford's secretary. On the second floor were bedrooms for the Fords, son Edsel, a study, indoor bathroom and a wonderful sleeping porch.
The Ford Cottage Shoppe building was originally Mr. Ford’s caretaker cottage and had a one car garage in it. Today it is used as a gift shop and ice cream shoppe.
Beauty surrounds this massive rooted tree on the Ford's lawn on the Caloosahatchee River
Gardens at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Electric Mercury Industrial Tractor powered by 30 Edison storage batteries.
The 30 battery box of Ford's Electric Mercury Industrial Tractor - each battery was made of steel and iron, with nickel hydrate and iron oxide.
Henry Ford and Soybean ScienceIn his quest to find industrial uses for agricultural products, Ford tested over 300 varieties of soybean in over 8,000 acres of farmland by 1936, spending an estimated $1.2 million on the project. Ford manufactured soybean-based paints, lubricants and plastics such as gear shift knobs, horn buttons and door handles. He created a suit and even an entire car body using experimental soybean products.
Henry Ford
161 U.S. Patents
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