Who knew Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were well acquainted? Who knew they had homes within yards of each other? And who knew Edison had a large research laboratory on the grounds of the estate to find a suitable source of rubber in the United States? I’d never heard any of these things but they’re all right there in Fort Myers, Florida.
The first thing you see when you walk up is a gigantic banyan grove (arbor? what the hell is it called?). Edison planted it in 1925 and, judging by how huge it is today, I figure it may be tunneling under California in a few years.
Behind the banyans is the gift shop and there’s a lovely plant nursery to the side of that. You know me – I not only love to collect t-shirts from the places I visit but I’m always on the lookout for something new for my garden. This time, I opted for the decorative lightbulb in the gift shop. It just seemed appropriate from a place that’s all about Thomas Edison.
The tour walks past the caretaker’s cottage and Edison’s study before reaching the main house. Of course, being Florida, we had to have a nice little downpour to welcome us on our outdoor walking tour. But never fear! We had some cute little booties we were required to don before entering each residence. They were a bit of a pain in the ass. A lack of rain wouldn’t have made any difference; they are required in order to protect the floors.
The back of the house has a view of the water. We were told Edison erected his own private pier but, due to hurricanes, had to rebuild it five times. The view was worth it. And the front grounds have beautiful green manicured lawns and lots of interesting flowers.
I love peeking in interiors of studies, libraries, bedrooms, kitchens – any room, actually – from bygone eras. I find myself imagining the person who lived in that era and it gives the furniture and artifacts a whole different spin. What would I have listened to on the phonograph? Would I have spent time pondering foreign countries on the globe? How much light did the chandelier provide on rainy days when I would’ve been stuck inside reading or playing board games? How often would I have used that fireplace in the bedroom in a Florida winter?
Then there’s the dining area. I’ve been to several preserved mansions and each had its own unique way of summoning staff. They ranged from an intercom system to a buzzer installed under the table to, in this case, a set of dinner chimes.
Why yes, everyone should have a set of chimes, right? Their dining was much too formal for my tastes, however. I much prefer slouching on my couch in raggedy sweats and t-shirts. But if I could afford a chef, chimes would be a must.
And about those artifacts from bygone eras. They’ve always fascinated me. I’m sure that comes from a childhood where most Saturdays were spent in a movie house watching B movies about flying carpets and swashbucklers and princesses in pointy hats with long wispy veils flowing behind them – all happening in far off lands. I loved the mystery, the glamor, the thought of one day seeing distant lands for myself. So okay, maybe Florida isn’t a far-off land (although some might argue our culture sometimes makes us a tad different), but there are still interesting things to set off my imagination.
So it is that I notice things like a beautiful and intricate tatting piece resting on a side table; a dining table laden with ostentatious cutlery, crystal and dishes (I often dined on tinfoil covered Banquet dinners as a kid so you see the fascination); a teeny kitchen where you could imagine a chef, a waiter and maybe a butler all jostling for breathing space; an impressive cypress wood ceiling; a fireplace nook built into the corner because the owners loved square-dancing and wanted guests to be able to sit around the perimeter of the floor; an old-fashioned fridge where the ice block went in the bottom compartment to keep things cool (how did they keep it from melting in its journey from town to the mansion?); a coffee grinder; a wash room where wet clothes were hung to dry in the humidity (good luck – four days?); and a wonderful photograph of Edison enjoying the view from his back lawn.
Then we arrived at Ford’s garage where he kept some of his vehicles. You wonder if he invited Edison out for a rip-roaring turn around Fort Myers. Did they let the wind blow through their hair or spend time trying to keep their hats on in the breeze? I can imagine getting caught in a typical Florida downpour in one of the open-air vehicles. Then again, at the time, I’m sure they were the height of ingenuity, and everyone was thrilled just to be seen in one.
Last but not least is the laboratory. I expected a small one-room lab with a few bottles and vials. This was a whole building with lots of workspace, tons of accoutrements, and fancy gadgets everywhere. Not bad for a boy with no formal education who nevertheless ended up with over 1,000 patents, is it?
This was a great tour and I recommend it. That said, if you don’t book the Inside the Homes Guided Tour, you don’t get to enter any of the homes (and, after all, you wouldn’t want to miss those booties). There is lots of walking, no air conditioning in the homes, and you can bet it’s going to be humid and maybe hot. Keep those things in mind.
- 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, Florida
- http://www.edisonford.org
- 239-334-7419
- Daily 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Self-guided tour $25 (walking around on your own) / Guided tour $30 (no interior access but someone to tell you about the homes) / Inside the Homes Guided Tour $50 and only on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 AM – call 239-335-3674 to reserve a spot
- Not wheelchair accessible for the inside of the homes
Lisa Browder 
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