Fort Myers in Lee County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Edison Guest House
—Harrie Monkhouse, Guest
March 21-April 3, 1916
Have you ever dreamed a dream of Heaven?
Where the Garden of Eden grows?
Well, come down with me to the Florida Coast
Where the Caloosahatchee flows
Come down with me to Seminole Lodge
Where grapefruit & oranges bloom,
Where bananas & palms trees skirt the shore
Of the pool you swim in at noon
Come down with me & meet our dear Hosts,
In this Heaven of sunshine & haze,
And then you’ll know why on the Florida coast-
The birds brush their throats in mere praise-
The home was originally built for Edison’s good friends Ezra and Lillian Gilliland as their winter retreat. The Gilliland’s only enjoyed three years in Fort Myers, and sold the home to Ambrose McGregor in 1891. The McGregor family lived year-round in the house until 1902. The road that runs along this home was named McGregor Boulevard, in honor of Mr. McGregor, in 1914.
Edison purchased the home in 1906, and created a guest house for family and friends. This building houses the dining room, kitchen/pantry area, and servant’s quarters for the Estates.
Visitors such as Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone stayed for days, while Charles Lindbergh came for dinner. Many received reminders of a Florida visit when mangoes, grapefruit, guava, and orange marmalade would arrive at their northern homes.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.
Location. 26° 38.067′ N, 81° 52.804′ W. Marker is in Fort Myers, Florida, in Lee County. Marker can be reached from McGregor Boulevard south of Larchmont Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is inside the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers FL 33901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Edison Estate Restoration and Rebirth (here, next to this marker); Orchid Lane and Friendship Walk (here, next to this marker); Clara Ford’s Michigan Rose Garden (here, next to this marker); Edison’s “Florida Paradise” (here, next to this marker); Inside the Ford Home (here, next to this marker); Henry Ford (here, next to this marker); Henry Ford's Florida Estate (here, next to this marker); Edison Caretaker’s House (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Myers.
Also see . . . Edison & Ford Winter Estates. (Submitted on November 6, 2015.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 24, 2017. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2015, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 317 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 5, 2015, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.