Presenting

wo brilliant minds partnering on a vacation- research retreat could mean nothing less than amazing architecture and 1,700 plant variet- ies, including award winning trees, a fertile laborator y and garden. One of those trees was planted one weekend in 1925, when Ford invited his tired friend Har vey Firestone to the es- tate. e three of them planted the tree, and it is now one of the largest Banyan trees in the conti- nental United States! Is this not a metaphor for grow th and success by three men who changed our world? e area of Southwest Florida has long aracted the aentions of the highest strata of A merican society. Two of the most influential men in our nation's histor y, omas Edison and Henr y Ford, can be included at the top of that list. ough their Ft. Myers' properties were primarily seasonal residences and research facilities, the Fords and the Edisons fre- quently hosted rich and famous guests. e wide southern style wrap around porches of the estates were invented for rock ing and talk ing among such friends. e twin main buildings ap- pear as two traditional Florida Style framed houses, connected by a breezeway. At one point in histor y they were separate identi- cal homes, but now the larger connected house is considered a wing displaying the main living quarters. e smaller aached building houses the dining room, k itchen, guest and ser vers accommodations. Part of living the privileged life of two of the world 's greatest inventors was to revel in nature and create the ul- timate garden to enjoy and share with others. Edison's wife Mina joined in the inventiveness, and created a Moonlight Garden, with the help of M. Stipple, one of the first women Landscape A rchitects. Mina was an inventor as well, as she designed the garden with light colored plants that would bloom in the moonlight and be breath- tak ingly viewed in the Reflecting Pool, complemented by floating plants. e prolific garden would have staggered monthly bloomings, and includes a long list of tropical fruit and exotic trees from around the world. Fourteen royal palm trees form a natural aisle, where couples take their final stroll as singles into matrimony. However, the primar y reason Edison bought this property was because of the variety of bamboo that grew wild throughout the grounds. In the late 1800's, as Edison continued his obsession to make a beer light bulb, he was unhappy with the light that the filament Images cour tesy of The Beaches of For t Myers & Sanibel & Edison & Ford Winter Estates By Barry Stein Moonlight Garden Henry Ford and Thomas Edison Drafting progress in paradise 62 | FLORIDA HOMES MAGAZINE T ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

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