Innovation Loves Company: A Visit to the Edison and Ford Estates
Our recent visit to Fort Myers and the historic Edison and Ford Estates—Seminole Lodge and Mangoes—offered a unique view into the friendship and collaboration between two of America’s greatest innovators. Walking the same paths where Thomas Edison and Henry Ford once discussed their ideas and shared ambitions brought history to life for our family.
The kids wandered through Edison’s Fort Myers laboratory, focused solely on finding a commercially viable rubber alternative. Testing over 17,000 plants, Edison ultimately identified goldenrod as the best option for producing latex in North America. However, this pursuit never became commercially viable, demonstrating how even the father of the phonograph, lightbulb, and kinetoscope explored projects that didn’t change the world. It highlighted not only Edison’s persistence but also his agility—his ability to pivot, experiment, and adapt in his search for valuable new ideas.
Their estates reflected the modesty and practical focus that characterized both men. Unlike the grandiose homes we had visited in Newport, Rhode Island, or even the large "cottages" of the Jekyll Island Club—designed for entertaining and showcasing wealth—Edison’s and Ford’s Fort Myers homes were humble and unassuming, befitting first-generation innovators who prioritized ideas, work, and meaningful connections over luxury. While other titans of the time embraced opulence and extravagant gatherings, Edison and Ford chose simpler lives, dedicated to work and exploration rather than lavish entertainment, fostering a friendship rooted in mutual respect and intellectual curiosity.
Edison and Ford’s friendship began in New York when Ford, then a young engineer, attended a conference for Edison’s company. Ford admired Edison’s work so deeply that many years later requested his autograph, sparking a connection that led Edison to invite Ford to his Florida retreat. Ford soon bought the house next door, and their friendship grew as they spent winters together, taking some of America’s earliest cross-country trips with friends like Harvey Firestone. We loved seeing how these first road trips, supported by Ford’s inventive camper van—equipped with a stove and refrigerator—gave them time to connect and share ideas.
Ironically, while Edison pioneered battery technology, even creating a battery-powered streetcar, Ford’s Model T took a different path with a gasoline engine. Although this choice set the course of automotive history for the next century, their differing approaches never strained their mutual admiration. Both men shared a spirit of invention and exploration, even if their personal styles varied: Edison worked tirelessly, unbound by schedules and often skipping meals, while Ford adhered to highly structured daily routine never skipping meals. Together, they balanced spontaneity with discipline, showing how complementary styles can enrich a friendship.
Our family left the estates inspired by their story and friendship. The kids, exploring Edison’s laboratory and Edison and Ford’s modest homes, saw how friendship, persistence, and curiosity can shape history. Edison and Ford remind us that innovation truly loves company, and that true wealth lies in shared ideas and experiences, not in extravagant surroundings.
