Edison & Ford Winter Estates
Edison & Ford Winter Estates
In 1886, inventor Thomas Edison purchased land along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers and constructed a winter home dubbed Seminole Lodge where he and his wife Mina wintered until the inventor’s death in 1931. Wanting to spend the winters with the Edison's, their friends Henry Ford and his wife Clara purchased the adjacent property in 1915 and built a bungalow-style house naming it The Mangoes.
Today, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates features over 20 acres of botanical gardens, nine historic buildings including Edison’s Botanic Research Laboratory and a 15,000 square foot air-conditioned museum displaying some of Edison’s inventions, artifacts and exhibits.
There are a wide range of tour options available to experience the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Options include a historian led Complete Estates Tour or Self-guided Audio Tour allowing visitors to enjoy the property at their own pace. Other tours include a Behind the Scenes Tour, Inside the Lab Tour, Botanical Gardens Tour or a naturalist led Boat Cruise offering an historic view of the Estates, the Gordon River and local wildlife. Captiva Cruises also offers an excursion departing from Captiva Island which includes a tour of the Gordon River, a visit to the Estates and lunch at a private club.
Be sure to stop by the Museum Store or Garden Shoppe and bring home something from your visit. Edison & Ford Winter Estates is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
