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produced, and pronounced his famous quote, "discontent is the first necessity for progress." He believed that "genius was 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" and was prepared to sweat in search of a certain k ind of bamboo that would burn brighter and longer in his new bulb. So Edison grabbed his friend and business partner, Ezra Gilliland and headed to St. Augustine, Florida, in the winter of 1885. Disappointed with the unseason- able temperatures, the inventive partners hopped on a carriage to Jacksonville, where they boarded a train to Cedar Key, on the west coast of Florida. e two friends floated down the Gulf Coast to Punta Rassa, near Sanibel Island, and stayed overnight at the Schultz Hotel, known to aract the rough and tough. eir next stop would be a virtually unknown frontier town called Ft. Myers, population 349. Away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and on the shores of the Caloosahatchee R iver, Edison purchased 13 acres from a cale baron named Samuel Summerlin for a whopping $2,750. ey called the re- treat "Seminole Lodge" and a new chapter began in the histor y of one of our nation's most famous inventors, as well as chang- ing Ft. Myers forever. As Edison built his Detroit Illuminating Company, he met Henr y Ford, who was on the road with a lile invention of his own. He turned to Edison for help with the baer y and starter system for his automobiles. e two became fast friends and frequently vacationed together at the Seminole Lodge. In 1916, Henr y Ford got a call from Edison's next-door neighbor, a man by the name of Robert Smith. Smith was look ing to sell his property, called "e Mangoes," and knew that Ford and Edison were friends who frequently vacationed together. In August of 1916, Ford sent a check to Smith for $20,000 to pur- chase the property next to Edison's. Henr y Ford 's new home featured extraordinar y cy press and pine woodwork, stor ybook built-in window seats and a mag- nificent fireplace mantel. Over time, Ford added a north and south wing , which increased the size of the beautiful Crasman bungalow-style home to a sprawling 3,000 square feet. e ex- panded wings feature an additional bedroom and bathroom along with two exterior rooms, most likely used by the staff that traveled with the Fords during their visits to Fort Myers. K nown for quoting great wisdom, Ford 's vision to partner with Edison on this estate was finally coming together. "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; work ing together is success." Edison, Ford, and Firestone were keenly aware of the role of politics and international affairs in their business success. It seems likely that their earliest discussions on the quandary of rubber availability may have occurred near the campfire, leading them to the incorporation of the Edison Botanic Research Corporation (1927), headquar tered in For t Myers, Florida, with a goal of raising and producing an organic source of rubber in the United States, thus relieving the nation's dependence on foreign rubber. Edison, Ford, and Burroughs with family and friends on a camping trip in the Florida Everglades. Edison's Guest House Cont. FloridaHomesMag.com | 63

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