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47 The Mangoes The Ford and Edison families were not particularly close until 1914, when John and Emily Burroughs and Henry and Clara Ford were invited by Thomas and Mina Edison to visit them at their Fort Myers home known as Seminole Lodge. At that time, Edison was developing a battery and starter system for the Model T car. The three couples, together with the Edisons’ son Charles and his fiancée, had an enjoyable outing exploring the Everglades. The Fords that year were building Fair Lane in Dearborn but did not have a winter home. They were very favorably impressed with the climate of Florida and the relaxed atmosphere of the little town of Fort Myers. Edison had owned Seminole Lodge back in 1886, when he married Mina Miller, his second wife, and they spent their honeymoon there. Every winter, the Edisons spent several months at Fort Myers. Next to the Edisons’, a fourteen-room gray-shingled bungalow had been built in 1911. This house had been named the Mangoes. A letter dated March 7, 1916, from Robert W. Smith, president of the Robert W. Smith Corporation of New York City, to Henry Ford reads as follows: I have just placed my winter home, “The Mangoes,” at Fort Myers, Florida, on the market and it occurs to me that as you have visited Mr. Edison there and have seen this property which is the next adjoining property southwest or on the down river side, you might be interested in it either for yourself or some of your friends. A description of the property in brief is as follows: The property immediately adjoins the winter home of Mr. Thomas A. Edison, and in the variety of its trees and other features is very similar, in fact, the two properties were formerly one and were developed together. My plot has a frontage on MacGregor Boulevard of 177 feet and depth of about 450 feet to the Caloosahatchee Bay and the deed covers riparian rights to the channel one quarter of a mile or more out in the river. On this plot there are about 150 bearing grape fruit trees and 50 orange trees most of the latter having recently been budded to the best varieties of oranges and should come into bearing next year. Besides the above there are mangoe trees, pawpaws, lemons, limes, guavas, 353 tangerines, coconuts, bananas, etc., etc., and on the vegetable plot, all the seasonable vegetables can be raised. The house is the best built structure in Fort Myers. It happened that when I took my superintendent to Fort Myers to build the house about five years ago, we arrived just in time to witness a tornado which tore things up pretty generally and my superintendent promptly doubled all framing timbers of the house so that it is very heavy in construction. The house contains a very large living room with a 4 ft open fire place, dining-room, butler’s pantry, kitchen and a bathroom on the first floor, besides two very large porches, and a kitchen porch on which are the laundry tubs; and on the second floor there are four large sleeping rooms, a very large bathroom and a sleeping porch facing the river, a large trunk room, an abundance of closet room throughout the house and besides this there is a large attic. The house is equipped with a very complete and efficient hot water heating system, electric lights, Venetian windows on the first floor, hard wood floors, tapestry wall coverings, beamed ceilings in the living room and dining room, and is furnished complete. There is also a garage built in style to match the house with accommodations for a good sized car, a sleeping room for chauffeur or servant, a pump room, a tool room and storeroom overhead. There is a splendid 100 foot well, equipped with gasoline pumping engine and tank which supplies water under pressure to the house. The house also has a fire hose system one hose on each floor. For complete up to date equipment I believe that the place has not its equal in Fort Myers and is located as it is within fifteen minutes walk of the heart of the town and beautifully situated on the banks of the Caloosahatchee Bay. I know of no more ideal location. If you would be interested in this property I would be glad to go into the matter more fully with you. I am sending herewith two photographs which...

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