Join us for a special Inside the Homes tour to celebrate Mina Edison’s 160th birthday! Advance registration is not required; tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
About Inside the Homes Tours
The Inside the Homes Tour takes visitors through normally-closed areas of Thomas Edison’s and Henry Ford’s winter estate homes. Tours are led by Edison Ford curatorial staff and expert historians. Visitors will enjoy rooms not seen during other tours. The tour is offered in a small-group format to allow for questions and discussion.
For persons with limited mobility, please speak with a staff member about special accommodations when making a reservation. Tour time: Approximately 90 minutes.
Member $25
Adults $50
Teen $35 (ages 13-19)
Children $20 (ages 6-12)
About Mina Edison
Born July 6, 1865, Mina was the seventh of the eleven children of inventor and Chautauqua Institute co-founder, Lewis Miller. She graduated from Akron (Ohio) High School, traveled for a year in Europe, and attended a finishing school in Boston. It was here that Mina was introduced to the newly-widowed Thomas Edison by mutual friends Ezra and Lillian Gilliland. On February 24, 1886 Mina and Thomas Edison were married at Oak Place, the Miller family home in Akron, and honeymooned at newly-built Seminole Lodge in Fort Myers.
Mina’s exposure to education and culture served her well as the young wife of an internationally famous inventor. In addition to becoming a mother to Edison’s three children from his first marriage, Mina and Thomas had three additional children of their own: Madeleine, Charles, and Theodore. Mina also oversaw the day to day activities at Glenmont, the couple’s estate in West Orange, New Jersey. She thrived as a self-described “home executive.”
The influence of Chautauqua became apparent as Mina’s children grew up and moved away from home; Mina became active in numerous social welfare movements including the American Red Cross, the Chautauqua Association, the West Orange Community League, and the National Audubon Society. In Fort Myers, Mina was instrumental in the foundation of the Fort Myers Round Table, a group of local leaders whom she brought together around the dining room table at Seminole Lodge in the interest of community improvement. She gave numerous speeches to local groups in West Orange and in Fort Myers, often on the importance of garden clubs and neighborhood organizations, the role of recreation in the education of children, and the value of musical instruction.
After Thomas Edison’s death in 1931, Mina’s community involvement continued. She married childhood friend Edward Hughes in 1935, but after his death in 1940, Mina resumed using Edison as her surname. She continued to winter at Seminole Lodge until 1947, when she graciously deeded the property to the City of Fort Myers. She died shortly thereafter at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of philanthropy and preservation.
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