Edison, Ford, and Citrus: A Sweet History
You may have heard about our exciting new project to recreate the historic Henry Ford Citrus Grove, but many visitors are unaware of the historic connections both Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had with citrus and fruit trees. Did you know:
When Henry Ford purchased his Fort Myers estate, mango and citrus trees were laid out in “grove-like” lines. In fact, the property was known as “The Mangoes!”
By the 1940’s, “The Mangoes” was described as having “50 budded orange and grapefruit trees.”
As many as 300 fruit trees stood on the Edison property at one point, located in closely-spaced groves at both the north and south borders of their property!
The Edison family had many varieties of citrus on their estate, including “golden oranges, deep colored mandarins, bright yellow lemons, shaddocks, red tangerine oranges, grapefruit,” and many others.
Fruit squeezers are on the list of items purchased by the Edisons to be shipped to Fort Myers.
The Edison family regularly had citrus jellies made on the winter estate shipped to their year-round residence in West Orange, New Jersey, and crates of citrus fruit were shipped to friends and families as gifts.
Mina Edison established a citrus grove near the Edison Botanic Research Corporation laboratory across the street in the 1930’s.
Edison and Ford aside, the citrus industry has deep roots in southwest Florida. Oranges were grown in Fort Myers as early as the 1860’s, but truly blossomed in the 1890s, when a deep freeze in north Florida caused many growers to move their crops further south. Oranges were typically shipped on steam boats until train service to the area arrived in the early 1900’s. Piers extending into the Caloosahatchee River (no longer existing today) housed several prominent citrus packing facilities.
Moving forward, the replanted Henry Ford Citrus Grove represents an opportunity to interpret this often-overlooked horticultural history. The grove will help to educate visitors about the significant history of citrus in the Sunshine State, and its relevance to Edison, Ford, and Fort Myers, and our staff will continue to focus on educating visitors about growing citrus in their own backyards!
Join us to Learn About Citrus and Beyond
When people consider moving to Florida, they often dream of growing a juicy orange tree in their backyard. But there’s more to backyard citrus than just O.J.! Have you heard of calamondin, the bite-size citrus snack you can pop in your mouth, skin and all? Or what about the limequat, a cross of the key lime and kumquat that adds a zing to drinks and dishes? And our climate is perfect for other edibles like bananas and dragon fruit as well as fruits you won’t find in most grocery stores, like Barbados cherry and jaboticaba.
If you’d like to know more about growing citrus and fruit trees in your backyard, come to our “Citrus and Beyond” class on April 16, 2019 at 10 am. This indoor class will be held at the Garden Council Building adjacent to Edison Ford at 2166 Virginia Ave, Fort Myers. Members: $30 Non-Members: $45.
Click here to register today!
What Is On the Trees at the Ford Estate?
If you’ve passed by the Estates in the past few months, you may have wondered about the small trees covered in white cloth on the Ford property. Those are young citrus trees, part of new living exhibit set to open soon on the Ford property! The exhibit, a collaboration of several citrus industry groups and local businesses, will showcase about 50 citrus trees and educate visitors on the history and importance of Florida citrus as well as Edison and Ford’s interest in agriculture. The white cloth protects the newly-planted trees from insects, specifically the psyllid that causes citrus greening. This gives the trees an advantage as they establish their roots and mature. The cloth will be remain on the trees for at least another year.
The first orange trees in Florida were believed to have been planted in St. Augustine by Ponce De Leon in the 1500s. When Henry Ford purchased his Fort Myers estate in 1916, dozens of fruit trees, including orange and mango, were already growing in grove-like lines in this area of the property. Since then, citrus has become the heart of Florida agriculture, with multi-generational growers working to grow incredible oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines. The new citrus grove is set to officially open by March 1 with new signs and interactive displays and will be included with regular admission to the Estates. For more information about the Ford Citrus Grove, click here.
Growing Roses in South Florida Class Offered
Do you know how to grow one of the world’s most popular flowers, the rose? Did you think it was impossible to grow them in the heat and humidity of Southwest Florida? If your answer to either question is “no”, join our Horticulture team on April 13th at 10:00 am for “An Introduction to Growing Roses in South Florida”, part of our monthly garden talk series. If the weather is beautiful, we’ll utilize our outdoor classroom near the banyan tree. Otherwise, the class will be indoors. Cost of the class for members is $10, non-members is $15. Attendees will receive a 20% off certificate for use in our Garden Shoppe. No registration required, but arrive a bit early to pay for your class at our Ticket Office.
Celebrating Edison’s 172nd Birthday – And His Favorite Invention
On Monday, February 11th ,the Edison and Ford Winter Estates will celebrate an American icon’s 172nd birthday. A ceremony honoring Thomas Edison, including his achievements and contributions to Fort Myers and beyond, will take place at 10:00AM complete with cake, speeches, as well as dance and instrumental performances by students from Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School.
After the celebration, phonograph historian and author Tim Fabrizio will give a presentation entitled: “The Phonograph in Everyday Life” inside the Edison Ford Museum. Presentations are scheduled at 11:15AM and 1:15PM. Edison Ford Registrar Matt Andres commented:
“Edison’s favorite invention was the phonograph and the great inventor spent years trying to improve and modify it. Mr. Fabrizio is a nationally renowned expert on the phonograph and has written many books on the subject. If you haven’t met him before, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Edison’s work in this particular field, and have your questions answered by someone who has been working phonographs for nearly 50 years.”
Signed copies of his book, Discovering Antique Phonographs, will be available for purchase after the program. The presentation is included with admission and free for Edison Ford Members.
