History and Gardens at Fort Myers' Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Visitors to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates can start their explorations by taking a self-guided tour of the estates along the beautiful Caloosahatchee River. The impressive architecture and stately furnishings of both homes are reminiscent of the opulence and glamour of the 1920s. Large verandas encircle the houses. I imagined how these two friends must have enjoyed the warm winter months, sipping tea on the porch with their families and contemplating their next world-changing ventures.

One of the most impressive features of the estates’ grounds is a banyan tree that Edison planted. The tree is one of the biggest in the world and takes up an entire acre of the property, but that’s just the start of the expansive gardens. I was fortunate to have Steve, the horticulturist of the estates, guide me through the lush foliage. The colors and fragrances of the gardens, which include 1,700 plants and flowers from six continents, are truly captivating. The Moonlight Garden, which belonged to Edison’s wife, Mina, and has been restored to its early 1900s glory, quickly became one of my favorites, and I spent several minutes reflecting on its beauty and tranquility.

After the calm of the gardens, I decide to visit the Museum & Laboratory. Edison patented more than 1,000 inventions in his lifetime, and I was in awe of the space dedicated to them. Exhibits covered X-ray machines, phonographs, the light bulb, electricity, motion pictures and more. In another room, you’ll find the Model T car that Ford presented to Edison as a gift. In addition to the classic automobile, the room was completely adorned with heartwarming pictures of the friends and their families. To catch a glimpse into their genius and the lives they led was fascinating.

The Edison & Ford Winter Estates also offers a number of other tours, including a Young Inventors’ Tour and Historian Tour, but the boat tour sounded like the ideal end to my explorations. Once aboard, actors portraying Edison and Mina narrated the trip, telling us all about their lives on the estate. As we cruised on the Caloosahatchee River, people spotted a variety of wildlife, including manatees, rays and dolphins. In addition to the picturesque scenery, it’s fascinating to hear the stories about life on the estates.