Thomas Edison, one of the most famous inventors of all time, would have been 167 years old today.
In memory of the American genius, here's a tour of his winter estate in Fort Meyers, Fla.
Edison purchased the property, located on the beautiful Caloosahatchee river, in 1885. The inventor's good friend, Henry Ford, bought the land next door several decades later.
Edison and Ford enjoyed fishing, boating, and planting exotic trees and plants during their leisurely winter stays.
The Edison family continued to visit the Florida retreat, dubbed Seminole Lodge, even after Edison's death in 1931. In 1947, Edison's wife, Mina Edison, deeded the property to the City of Fort Myers for $1. The Ford estate was acquired in 1988.
The property is now open for public tours, featuring Edison's botanical gardens, rubber laboratory, and a historical museum.
A pier overlooking Caloosahatchee river was constructed soon after Edison bought the property in 1885.
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Edison's pier became a popular spot for fishing, boat watching, and riverfront picnics.
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The views are breathtaking.
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The landscape served as a living laboratory as well. Edison, Ford, and Harvey Firestone were obsessed with finding a cheap alternative to rubber. The trio planted thousands of exotic trees and plants in search of a quick-growing, domestic source of natural rubber.
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In 1925, Firestone gave Edison a 4-foot banyan tree, which produces a white milky sap that can be used to create rubber. The tree did not turn out to be the best producer of rubber, but continued to grow and is now around an acre in diameter.
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The pool, constructed in 1910, was one of the first private pools in the region.
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Broad-leaf banana trees planted around the pool provided shade and blocked people from looking in from the river.
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A Tea House, where Mrs. Edison entertained, was added in 1928.
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An aquatic pond collected water run-off from the pool. The pond is flanked by Mrs. Edison's favorite plants, including water lilies, iris, and papyrus.
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Now let's go inside the homes.
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An original swinging bench remains on the porch.
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This is Edison's office.
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Here's a view of the library.
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Mina and Thomas Edison's bedroom.
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Edison never fully stopped working. Here's a picture of his laboratory.
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Henry Ford purchased his home next to the Edisons, called The Mangoes, in 1916.
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The original Ford furnishings are believed to have been sold at auction in the 1940s. The items on display reflect the styles of Henry Ford and his wife, Clara.
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The original toilet is still there, however.
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Ford was so distraught by Edison's death in 1931 that he sold the house in 1945 and it was eventually purchased by the city of Fort Meyers in 1988.
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Historic Ford vehicles are displayed in a garage. This building was added to the property by the Biggar Family after it was purchased from Ford in 1945.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/pictures-of-thomas-edisons-winter-retreat-in-fort-meyers-2014-2?op=1#ixzz2t71KAaBN
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