The Edison and Ford Winter Estates are located in Fort Myers, on the Gulf Coast of Florida and about a 2 ½-hour drive from Miami, or 2 hours from Fort Lauderdale. While doable as a day trip, we opted to make a mini vacation of it and stayed in Sarasota where we could also visit the Ringling Museum as well as a few other attractions in the area.
The grounds of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates are huge. This National Historic Site has been open to the public since 1947. Be sure to visit the museum with numerous exhibits about Thomas Edison’s inventions and Henry Ford’s innovations and automobiles.
There is even the Edison Botanical Research Laboratory which was created in 1928. And take a look at the largest banyan tree in the continental United States. It’s gigantic!
The Edison Homes
Edison first visited the Fort Myers area in 1885 and purchased more than 13 acres of riverfront property. The couple would escape the winters coming to Fort Myers for six decades. In 1947, Mina Miller Edison deeded the estate to the City of Fort Myers who in turn opened it to the public.
The site consists of the Edison main house as well as a guest house and caretaker house. Both the main house and guest house contain just about all the original furnishings and really offer a glimpse into this earlier era.
The main house was remodeled by the Edison’s in 1906 adding additional family suites. The guest house has hosted many famous people such as Henry Ford, Herbert Hoover, Harvey Firestone, and others.
The oldest of the buildings is the caretaker’s house which was originally on the property when Edison purchased it from Samuel Summerlin, a local cattleman. Edison’s caretakers would live in this house year-round to maintain the properties.
Be sure to check out the enormous 50-foot by 20-foot swimming pool which was built in 1910 and is thought to be one of the first ever private pools. You can get a glimpse into Edison’s study behind the Moonlight Garden.
The Ford Home
The Mangoes as it was called, was the winter estate of Henry and Clara Ford. The Fords had visited Edison and enjoyed themselves to the point of coming back two years later to purchase a home adjacent to Edison. Ford sold the property to a private buyer who later sold it to the city of Fort Myers. It was opened to the public in 1990 and is now part of the same site.
Be sure to check out the garage housing some of the early Ford vehicles and the huge Mysore fig tree in front of Ford caretaker’s cottage, now a store.
Conclusion
We added the Edison and Ford Winter Estates to our itinerary as a stop on our way to Sarasota. We were pleasantly surprised to find such a gem in Fort Myers. Do allow a couple of hours to explore the grounds and visit the museum. Picnic tables are also available which was very convenient for lunch. And keep an eye out for beautiful birds roaming around the grounds.
Those looking to fill a weekend or a few days on the Gulf Coast can also look at Sanibel Island or Lido Key for some beach time. Other local attractions include the Mote Aquarium and the Selby Botanical Gardens. Moreover, we highly recommend visiting the Ringling Museum in Sarasota. The former circus king’s estate, the Ca’ d’Zan, is spectacular as is the Circus Museum.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates visiting hours
- Daily: 9 am to 5:30 pm (last entry 4:30 pm)
- Download the app for the Edison Ford self-guided tour.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates entry fees
- Adults: $18.00
- Youth (13 to 17): $20.00
- Children (6 to 12): $15.00
- Children (5 and under): FREE
- Parking: FREE