Edison had a deep respect for nature, regarding it
as an endless source of discovery. Through his sheer
determination and dauntless efforts, the beauty and
majesty of the royal palms lining Riverside Avenue
(now McGregor Boulevard) were imported and planted,
and would become the reason for the "City of
Palms" nickname.
Edison's Fort Myers Laboratory was originally built
for research on goldenrod rubber, but many of Edison's
inventions and research materials are on display.
The incandescent light bulb is acknowledged worldwide
as Edison's greatest invention.
Edison's diversification remains a constant amazement.
With almost 1100 patents to his credit, he has been
dubbed "America's most prolific inventor".
His achievements include the phonograph, movie camera
and projector, ship-to-shore radio, alkaline storage
battery, ticker tape machine, and microphone. Naturally
he had his share of losers: a perpetual cigar, a concrete
house and furniture, and a helicopter-type flying
machine that was lifted by kites.
Among his lesser known, but successful inventions,
visitors will discover items that could be part of
a 'Who Invented' trivia game. These include wax paper,
tin foil, the talking doll, mimeograph, and dictating
machine, plus one of the most indispensable products
in history: mucilage, the "sticky stuff"
that is affixed to postage stamps, envelopes, and
labels.
As Edison's enchantment with Fort Myers grew, he
began to spend more time at Seminole Lodge and was
often joined there by his friend, Henry Ford. The
two distinguished inventors would sometimes go off
on a camping trip or a drive to Estero.
Ford met Edison at a meeting in New York and, with
Edison's encouragement, quit his job and turned his
full attention to his dream of building a gasoline
driven automobile.
By 1903 Ford's dream had come true and he had become
so famous that people were asking to put money into
his company. The Ford Motor Company was officially
started that year with $28,000 cash, but it took the
introduction of the Model-T in 1907 to make the company
a financial success. By 1914 the first Ford Car Dealership
was opened in Fort Myers.
