The Edison Main House

The Edison Main House. A Family Retreat. The 3900-square-foot home was built in 1886. It was constructed of clear spruce and shipped from Maine. After purchasing the adjoining home to use as guest quarters, in 1900, the house was renovated between 1908 and 1910. The kitchen was removed, and the space was converted into a master bedroom with walk-in closets and a bathroom. Support staff quarters upstairs became a bedroom for sons Charles and Theodore. The original dining room became a library with built-in bookshelves; a small den and bath were created in the space below the stairs., While the Edison Guest House was the gathering place for dinner, friends, and conversation, the Main House was a refuge that the Edisons could retreat to when they needed privacy from the outside world., Did You Know? , The Main House features some of the oldest electric light fixtures in the nation, they were designed and produced in the 1880s and are called "electroliers.", "Don't fail to retire to your room during each part of the day, so that the family may squabble without embarrassment." , A quote from "Madeleine Edison's "Rules For Guests." An fun and informal list of etiquette rules for guests who stayed with the Edison's in Florida., (captions) , Inset: Thomas Edison stands in front of the Main House in 1915. , Theodore, Mina, and Thomas Edison pose by the Main House porch, circa 1909.