Thomas Edison's Florida was a bit different than the Florida of today. Having lost his first wife, Mary Stilwel to typhoid in August of 1884, Edison had found love once more with nineteen year old, Mina Miller and shortly before they were to be married Edison's eye for beauty once again served him well purchasing a choice spot of Florida real estate on the Caloosahachee river. The river in 1886 Fort Myers was the main mode of transport with even
Florahome being accessible by rail before the first Fort Myers train arrived in 1904. For Edison though, that was pretty much the point giving him a much needed break from all the stress the success of his inventions had brought him. Not that his new winter getaway was strictly for lounging in a hammock - Edison was not quite cut out for wasting away in Margaritaville. No, Seminole Lodge as it came to be known had quite a little workshop providing Edison with all he needed to continue his work in Florida whether it involved the phonograph or his plans to use latex producing plants to provide rubber for the country during time of war. Viewing Edison's Fort Myers estate today, it's hard to imagine a more ideal place for work or just relaxing and having fun. Though it's true, Fort Myers and the rest of Florida has changed a good deal since Edison's day, much of the natural beauty and mild weather Edison appreciated from his first visit can still be enjoyed and the home he and his family shared can still be visited - complete with electric lights! There were certain advantages back then when living in EDISON's Florida.
More about Thomas Edison online:
Wikipedia
The Smithsonian
Edison's inventions
Thomas Edison.com
Books available include:
The Florida Life of Thomas Edison
The Edisons Of Fort Myers: Discoveries of the Heart
Biographical -
The Wizard of Menlo Park:
How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World
Lessons from Edison -
Edison in the Boardroom: How Leading Companies Realize Value from Their Intellectual Assets
From Edison to Enron: The Business of Power and What It Means for the Future of Electricity 
For kids -
Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas
Visit
the Edison's at home in Fort Myers - Edison's Florida
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