Edison and Ford Winter Estates, House museum and botanical garden in Fort Myers, United States

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is a dual property along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers that includes two residences, a botanical garden with tropical plants, and historic research buildings. The grounds stretch along the riverfront and contain pathways through beds of palms, orchids, and crops from different climate zones.

Thomas Edison bought the riverside property in 1885 after wintering in St. Augustine on his doctor's advice, and his home, completed in 1886 and called Seminole Lodge, served as his winter retreat until his death in 1931. Henry Ford bought the adjoining "The Mangoes" from Robert Smith in 1916; Smith had built its bungalow in 1911. Mina Edison deeded the Edison property to the City of Fort Myers in 1947, and the Ford estate was purchased in 1988 and opened to tours in 1990.

Seminole Lodge, Edison's winter home, was completed in 1886 and named for the Seminole people of the region; Ford's adjoining Craftsman-style bungalow, "The Mangoes", was built in 1911 by Robert Smith and bought by Ford in 1916. The Moonlight Garden was designed by landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Mina Edison planted roses, orchids and bromeliads for their beauty.

The museum sits in downtown Fort Myers and is reachable on foot from several neighborhoods. Visitors should bring light clothing, water, and a hat because of the humidity and sun.

The 400-foot banyan tree, a Ficus benghalensis, was a gift from Harvey Firestone in 1925 and was planted in the mid-1920s. Edison had tested over 17,000 plant samples in his search for a domestic rubber source before settling on Solidago leavenworthii, a goldenrod species.