The Edisons’ Tropical Menagerie

The Edisons’ Tropical Menagerie. . During the early 1900's, Florida "Snowbirds" were often interested in the exotic, local animals. Regulations governing the keeping of these animals as pets did not exist at that time and the Edisons were not immune to the tropical pet craze., In 1904, Edison's youngest son Theodore, age 6, returned to New Jersey from Fort Myers with five baby alligators which he kept in a tub outside their home. One afternoon: while his mother Mina was serving tea to a group of ladies in the conservatory, Theodore decided to show his baby gators to his mother's guests. As he entered the room Theodore was unable to contain all the "wrigglers" and ended up letting them slither under the table, alarming the ladies., In the 1920's the Edisons introduced peacocks to the grounds and kept a parrot on the property. June Scarth Mates, daughter of Edison's chauffeur, recalled Mina sending her over to talk in a very kindly way to the peacock in order to get him to display his feathers., Edison even ordered two monkeys as pets for his Seminole Lodge Estate. The monkeys were such a "great source of amusement" to Thomas and Theodore, according to Mina, that they bought two marmosets soon after. In 1910, Theodore wrote a letter that mentioned a bevy of animals in residence at Seminole Lodge, including raccoons, a pelican, a pigeon, a dog, a gopher, chickens, a cow, a calf and two alligators., (captions) , Below: Theodore poses with "Jerry," the family's pet pelican., Thomas and Jerry stand by the fountain., Above Left: The Edison family peacock "Beauty, circa 1930. , Above Right: Mina Edison looks on as daughter Madeleine and their pet dogs enjoy tea under the pergola, circa, 1910.