SW Florida Culture and History
Published On: April 9, 2014 Posted by: admin
Southwest Florida is home to an array of museums and historical locations. With its year round, tropical climate the area has been the winter home to many famous residents throughout the years. Two of the most famous winter residents who bought Florida real estate for sale, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, created magnificent estates that welcome history buffs to the region. Also, a stop to the Burroughs home, the oldest residence in the area is a must!
Located next door to each other on the outskirts of Downtown Fort Myers, where you may be interested in purchasing Lee County, Florida real estate, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates invite guests to not only tour the historic homes, but offer a lesson in old Florida, Americana, and science. The estates, located on over 20 acres of waterfront land on the Caloosahatchee River bring visitors back to a simpler time and make it impossible to not want to find real estate in southwest Florida to call your own.
The Edison Estate is home to the largest banyan tree in the nation which was given as a gift to Edison from tire mogul Harvey Firestone. The 400 foot around tree stands stately in the front of an onsite museum which is home to some of Edison’s greatest inventions. The phonograph, movie camera, and light bulb are some of the 1,000 plus patented inventions that are on display. Hidden within a tangle of tropical flora, Edison’s residence built in the 1880’s invites visitors into the life of one of the most historically significant inventors of all time. A must see while visiting the estate is Mr. Edison’s laboratory where many inventions that changed the course of American lifestyle in the early 1900’s were created. Today the laboratory houses a variety of old fashioned gizmos, dust covered bottles, and other scientific tools.
The Henry Ford Winter Estate, “The Mangoes” is located adjacent to the Edison Estate and is accessible through the “Friendship Gate”. Though it is thought to be humble compared to the neighboring mansion, the Ford Estate is decorated to show Ford’s simple taste with furniture that is true to the era. While visiting the Ford Estate, you must make a visit to the porch adjacent to the vintage garage. Views of the Caloosahatchee River from the porch are quite awe inspiring and it isn’t difficult to see why Ford chose this location for his winter residence.
Located in Downtown Fort Myers, the Burroughs home holds the title of the oldest home in Fort Myers. Built in 1901 in Georgian Revival style, the mansion once hosted lavish parties for the socially elite of the area including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone. With tropical gardens, fountains, and the first grotto in the area, the mansion’s 2.5 acres have something to offer everyone.
SWFL is a great place to travel back in time through visits to the areas historic locations. While the locations are a great place to learn about the region’s history, they also invoke a sense of creativity and give in depth views of the early 1900’s lifestyle, as well as encouraging you to follow in these historic footsteps as you look for Florida waterfront homes for sale and Cape Coral real estate.