 When
you visit Thomas A. Edison's winter homes, you enter
a world unlike any you have ever seen. The furnishings
and architecture of these gracious, rambling buildings
are reminiscent of a bygone era; yet there are many
innovations which we do not have in the most modern
of homes.
The
Ford porch, Adjacent to the vintage automobile garage,
offers a spectacular riverfront view of the
Caloosahatchee River. |
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 A
portrait of Thomas Edison graces the fireplace wall
in the Edisons' living room, which is furnished with
their much-loved wicker, a popular style in the
1920's. The doors opened on the spacious verandas
of the home and the connected guest house and provided
cooling ventilation when needed.
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 Among
Florida's first modern swimming pools, this one was
built by Edison in 1910. It is constructed of Edison
Portland Cement, for which he had 40 patents dealing
with its development and production. He built the pool for the entertainment of his family
and guests. |
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 Edison
worked long hours in his laboratories, totally unaware
of the time, eating when he was hungry and taking "cat
naps" in the workshop as needed. He is quoted
as having said, "I owe my success to the fact
that I never had a clock in my workroom." He
also said that his deafness was an asset, explaining
that
it allowed him to work with less distraction and
to sleep deeply, undisturbed by outside sounds.
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