Edison & Ford Winter Estates

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA provides the warm and beautiful setting for the Thomas A. Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates. Included on the grounds are homes, gardens, a laboratory, and a museum. The site has become a tourist mecca and a premier leisure destination.

Located in the City of Fort Myers, and on the shoreline of the Caloosahatchee River, the property became the retreat for these two good friends in 1916.  Edison's home, which he called "Seminole Lodge," was completed several years earlier in 1886.

When adjoining property became available in 1916, Edison convinced Ford to become his close winter neighbor, so Ford purchased the home called "The Mangoes" next door. The two friends enjoyed escaping from their northern climates to the sunshine, flowers, plants, and trees of their Florida homes for many years.

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is now owned and managed by the City of Fort Myers. The City's goal is to protect, preserve, and interpret the site for every one's benefit. The street address is 2350 McGregor Boulevard, and the Estates are open 7 days a week (except for Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9:00 to 5:30. Call 239-334-7419 for additional information.

My wife and I have had the privilege of visiting the Estates with dear friends living in the area. And, what a place it was! It went well beyond our expectations. In the middle of our tour we walked to lunch at Pincher's, which overlooked the Caloosahatchee, just on the edge of the Estates property. The seafood was excellent! All things considered, it's easy to highly recommend a visit to the Edison and Ford Estates. Everything there was 5-Stars!