Swiss American Club » Page 4 of 11

The winter home of Thomas A. Edison is poised along the Caloosahatchee River and is one of the greatest historic treasures in Lee County. Edison’s close buddy Henry Ford, was obviously smitten upon his visit to Ft. Myers in 1915. He bought the house next door, which became another Mecca for the country’s elite. The two estates surround 14 acres botanical landscaping, Edison’s laboratory and a museum, containing famous inventions and exhibits.

The Swiss Club toured these fabulous grounds for the second time in ten years. It was certainly worth a couple hours of wandering through the gorgeous environs and peeking into the lives of these fascinating men. Just to mention some of Edison’s inventions, such as the telegraph, telephone, x-ray machines, toasters and irons as well as cameras and of course his world famous light bulbs, dating from the 1920s. How amazing to find out that 90 years later to the date, these light bulbs were taken off the market to make way for the energy-saving ones. Henry Ford presented his friend with a unique Model T Ford, a gift that displays in the museum. The monstrous banyan tree that shades the laboratory was four feet tall when presented to Edison in 1925. When our Club members met on Saturday, September 4, 2010, this addition to the lavish gardens, grew to be the largest specimen in Florida.

Located just one mile south of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, the Edison Restaurant was the target for our gathering for dinner. It presents itself with old Florida architecture beautifully decorated with natural finishes. Tables were reserved for all Club members and everybody picked a meal to their liking. With 19 persons present, a considerable group, for the slow month of September, the get-together was concluded in the early evening.