The Florida Life of Thomas Edison

Florida Historical Society Rembert Patrick Award

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was America’s most famous and, arguably, most prolific, inventor. But few realize the extent to which he called Florida home. Between 1885 and his death in 1931, Edison and his family wintered in the sleepy Gulf Coast town of Fort Myers, south of Tampa. There, they were the pride of the small town, which eagerly watched to see what magic the Wizard would conjure.

In this fascinating and detailed biography, Michele Albion has amassed details of the Edisons’ years in Fort Myers. Using a wide range of little-known resources, including photographs, manuscripts, maps, and newspaper accounts, she presents a uniquely intimate portrait of the inventor as an influential member of a close-knit community. In doing so, she reveals important facets of Edison’s life that are largely unknown or overlooked by biographers.

Written by the first professional curator of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, and filled with photographs, maps, and graphics, The Florida Life of Thomas Edison also discusses the impact Edison’s wife, Mina, had on the culture and community of Fort Myers. As Albion writes, “In other locations, the Edisons were respected and admired. In Fort Myers, they were loved.”