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Museum · Fort Myers, Florida
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
The winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, neighboring each other on the Caloosahatchee River, with Edison’s botanical research laboratory, a museum of inventions, and gardens with plants from around the world.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Thomas Edison visited Fort Myers for the first time in 1885 and bought a riverside lot on the Caloosahatchee River. The house, called Seminole Lodge, was manufactured in sections in the state of Maine, transported by boat and assembled in 1886. Edison spent winters there for decades. In 1916, his friend Henry Ford bought the neighboring house, The Mangoes, and the two families began meeting there.
On the property is the laboratory of the Edison Botanic Research Corporation, created by Edison, Ford and Harvey Firestone in the late 1920s to look for a source of rubber that could be cultivated in the United States. The laboratory has been preserved with the equipment from that era. The museum displays Edison inventions such as phonographs and light bulbs, and vintage Ford cars.
The gardens cover about 8 hectares, with plants brought from several continents. The banyan fig at the entrance, planted in the 1920s, is one of the largest in Florida. The houses are viewed from the outside and from the verandas, and there are guided tours and river boat rides on certain days.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Two to three hours for the houses, the laboratory, the museum and the gardens.
Best time
In the morning right at opening, before the heat and tour groups. Closed on a few holidays each year; confirm before you go.
How to get there
On McGregor Boulevard, about 2 km from downtown Fort Myers and 20 km from the airport. There is on-site parking.
Tip
Take the guided tour or use the audio guide: they help explain the friendship among Edison, Ford and Firestone and the work carried out in the laboratory.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Did Edison live in Fort Myers?
He spent his winters there, starting in 1886, at the house called Seminole Lodge on the Caloosahatchee River.
What to see at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates?
The homes of Edison and Ford, the botanical research laboratory, the museum of inventions and vintage cars, and the gardens with the large banyan fig.
How long does the visit to the Edison and Ford homes take?
Two to three hours.