Ebook: Edison and Ford in Florida

Cover Page; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. Building a Florida Retreat; 2. Edison's Jungle; 3. Innovation and Relaxation in Florida; 4. Edison and Ford Connect; 5. Ford Comes to Florida; 6. Rubber, the Final Project; 7. From Private Estate to Public Site; 8. Restoration and Renewal; Bibliography; About the Organization;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.