Arcadia Publishing Edison And Ford In Florida History Book

Prolific inventor Thomas Edison and automobile pioneer Henry Ford shaped the modern world like few others. The lives of these close friends intersected at their winter homes in southwest Florida. Edison first visited the tiny cattle-ranching community of Fort Myers in 1885, building a home and laboratory soon after. There, he wintered with his wife, Mina and their children, Madeleine, Charles and Theodore. Ford purchased the adjacent estate in 1916, wintering in the area with his wife, Clara and son, Edsel. Here in southwest Florida, these famous neighbors relaxed and found time to explore new projects.