Thomas Edison’s role in Southwest Florida’s history

On his doctor’s orders, Thomas Edison was looking to escape the cold weather of the Northeast when he came to Florida for the winter. In 1885, he purchased a plot of land along the Caloosahatchee for a vacation home. Fort Myers was a fledgling town at the time, and the annual arrival of the world-famous inventor and his wife Mina became a hotly anticipated and celebrated affair locally: The local newspaper printed his date of arrival and crowds would gather at the train station to meet him.

But Edison didn’t just come to Southwest Florida to relax; he became the town’s top advocate. The avid fisherman sang the praises of the region’s sport fishing, putting the town on the map as a top tourist destination. Soon, his wealthy and influential friends came to join him; Standard Oil magnate Ambrose McGregor and Henry Ford became neighbors. Ford, Edison and Harvey Firestone started the Edison Botanic Research Corporation on the property, finding ways to develop domestic sources of rubber. (Edison is pictured above with Firestone in their lab.)

In ways large and small, Thomas and Mina gave back to their winter home, including donations to start a volunteer fire department and library. They donated the royal palms that still shade McGregor Boulevard today.

One of his last acts in Fort Myers was to cut the ribbon to open the new Edison Bridge in 1931. He passed away later that year. In 1938, the Edison Pageant of Light was started to honor his achievements and influence in the town. Mina Edison continued to spend time in Fort Myers, staying involved in civic groups and focusing on beautification projects. In 1947, she donated the Edison Estate to the city. It’s now part of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, a museum and botanical garden honoring the city’s most famous former resident.