Digital Discussion: Florida in the Civil War
Join us for a Zoom presentation about Florida’s role in The Civil War. An estimated 16,000 Floridians fought in the war. Most fought for the confederacy, but about 2,000 joined the Union army. The major battles in Florida, life on the home front, and Florida’s role in supplying the confederacy will be discussed.
Click here to register for this free webinar.
Fort Myers Film Festival at Edison Ford
Join us for an evening of films under the stars! In partnership with the Fort Myers Film Festival, several films will be shown on the Henry Ford estate lawn along the Caloosahatchee River. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
The selection of films will include:
- An original silent film, with pianist Stephen Brittain performing the score
- “Preservation Forever,” a tribute to the success of Sam Galloway, Jr. and his long history with the Estates
- “Stay Wild,” a short story about a young woman and her quest to conserve wild places
- “A Greenlander,” a documentary about a French painter in Greenland who teaches art therapy to neglected children
TICKETS: Edison Ford Members: $10 and Non-members: $15. Masks are required where social distancing is not possible during this special event. Click here to purchase tickets.
Generously sponsored by Strayhorn & Persons, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law.
Digital Discussions: “The greatest of all my inspiring friends:” Exploring the Friendship of Henry Ford and George Washington Carver
Join Program Manager Holly Shaffer for a virtual discussion about the friendship and the business relationship between automobile magnate Henry Ford and scientist and inventor George Washington Carver.
To register for this free Digital Discussion, click here.
Silk Scarf Painting Class with Marie Dyer
Join Marie for a inspirational day at the estates! In this workshop, you will learn techniques to create your own one of a kind 14″ by 72″ silk scarf.
No experience is required and all materials and inspiration are supplied. Capacity is limited. Masks are required.
Members: $90, Non-members: $100
To register, click here.
Digital Discussion: Buckingham Army Airfield during WWII
Did you know that Mina Edison visited Buckingham Field in 1945 and invited 25 GIs to Seminole Lodge for lunch and a swim?
Join Program Manager Holly Shaffer for a discussion of Buckingham Army Airfield, a training base in Lee County, Florida, established in 1942. At the time, it was the largest airfield in the State of Florida. Its primary mission during World War II was to train the aerial gunners who would defend bombers.
Museum Musings Series
Museum Musings is an ongoing series, briefly covering topics from Mina Edison to Ford cars. Upcoming programs include:
- February 11 – Join us outside near the Banyan tree for a special Museum Musings program focused on Edison’s famous birthday interviews. During the latter part of his life, Edison frequently spent his birthday in Fort Myers and would open his estate to reporters. His answers to some of their controversial questions became news stories themselves. The City of
Fort Myers also held birthday celebrations for the inventor; one year making a cake six feet in diameter for him. The
presentation is included with admission.
Cost: Edison Ford members: free; non-members: included with admission.
Growing Roses in Southwest Florida
You may know that Mina Edison and Clara Ford grew roses at their year-round residences, but did you know that you can have a beautiful rose garden right here in Southwest Florida?
In this class, you will learn all the techniques required for a successful rose garden in our semi-tropical climate – it is quite different from what you may have learned to grow roses up North. We will cover soils, feeding, varieties, root-stocks, pests, weather conditions, planting times and pruning techniques. This class will be approximately 90 minutes and will be held in the air-conditioned comfort of the Garden Council Building, located adjacent to Edison Ford, at 2166 Virginia Ave. (If you park in our Larchmont Street Parking Lot, the entrance to the Garden Council Building, also known as the Berne Davis Gardens, is immediately across the street.)
Pre-registration is required. Members – $30; non-members – $45. Class size will be limited to 25.
Landscape Painting Class With Marie Dyer
Join impressionist painter Marie C Dyer for a landscape painting workshop. Inspired by the lush grounds of the Edison Ford Winter Estates, you will create a unique landscape painting. All experience levels are welcome! Supplies are included.
Members: $90, non-members: $100. This event is limited to eight participants. Register Today!
Silk Scarf Painting Class with Marie Dyer
Join Marie for a inspirational day at the estates! In this workshop, you will learn techniques to create your own one of a kind 14″ by 72″ silk scarf.
No experience is required and all materials and inspiration are supplied. Capacity is limited– register here. Masks are required.
Members: $90, Non-members: $100
