Exploring the Origins of Vintage “Base Ball” Talk
Allen “Honest Al” Stare is a baseball historian who will speak at Edison and Ford Winter Estates at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on March 19 about the origins of vintage “base ball.” He’ll explore the evolution of the game, the rule of the umpire, and dispel some misconceptions. Allen also will umpire two of the vintage “base ball” games on March 20 at Terry Park.
The talks are included with Estates general admission.
Spring Training Talk
Learn about the history of spring Training in fort Myers with Program Manager, Holly Shaffer. Included with Estates general admission.
CANCELLED The Distaff Side of Vintage Base Ball: Then & Now
Please note: This event has been cancelled.
This presentation will offer stories and information that will help you understand a vintage base ball match. Ellie has been the manager, also known as “Boss Lady,” of The Chicago Salmon since 1996. In all those years, she has baked thousands of pretzels, grilled tons of chicken, sewn hundreds of uniforms and
costumes for umpires and followers, and mended more than several pairs of trousers (sometimes with the player still in them). Boss Lady has also organized festivals, helped form new teams, and kicked at least one player off the team for having a bad attitude. Join us for colorful stories, information, and answers to how vintage base ball was played.
Cost: Included with admission.
CANCELLED — Guest Speaker Elizabeth Carlson: Hindsight is 2020
Please note that this event has been cancelled.
Ellie Carlson of ElliePresents will give a presentation on women’s history entitled “Hindsight is 2020.” The presentation is included with general admission to Edison Ford.
Women’s History Month is a month-long celebration of women’s contributions to society and history 
observed during the month of March. In the U.S., it has been officially celebrated since 1987. August 26 will be the 100 year anniversary since the 19th Amendment was passed, granting American women the right to vote in all elections.
Countless people labored for decades to bring enfranchisement to both genders. This year-long series of portrayals, programs and events focuses on the past 100 years of women’s influence. While the nation expanded westward, women’s suffrage expanded eastward. Illinois was the very first state east of the Mississippi to allow women to vote in municipal elections. As the western women encouraged their eastern sisters, the movement spread across the nation, culminating in national suffrage by the end of the second decade in the twentieth century.
This presentation will focus on the influence of trade and teachers’ unions, women in higher education, fundraising through cookbooks and bazaars, marches, songs, letter writing campaigns and how women’s influence over the voting men in their lives brought about the reform.
Conserving the Past with Guest Speaker Jeremy Fogg – Evening Event Series
Join art conservator Jeremy Fogg as he explains the process of conserving an oil painting from the Edison Ford collection. Learn more about select works from the collection which are not yet on public view as they are in need of conservation work.
This is a rare opportunity to look deep within the collection and learn about the systematic approach to the world of Fine Art conservation. He will also share the process of conserving the renowned oil painting, The Phonograph.
Cost: Free (donations are encouraged).
Advance Registration is Required: Click here to register.
Guest Speaker: Exploring Edison and the Seminole Relationship with Historian Woody Hanson
Don’t miss this chance to hear fifth-generation Floridian Woody Hanson speak about the relationship between the Seminole, Thomas Edison, and Fort Myers. Click here to register for this free event!
Edison, Ford & Fort Myers: Inventors & Neighbors – Book Signing and Presentation
Event will be held at Barnes and Noble at 13751 S Tamiami Trail in Fort Myers
Join Chief Curator, Brent Newman, and Chief Operating Officer, Mike Cosden, for a book signing this Saturday at Barnes and Noble!
Hear fascinating stories about two iconic American innovators and enter a giveaway to win a membership to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
A Visit with Early Inventor, Mary Florence Potts (Canceled)
Please note: This event has been canceled.
Mary Florence Potts was an inventress at the age of 19 in 1871. She spent the rest of her life perfecting and promoting her “Boon to Women!” She visits the modern world fresh from her appearance at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago.
At the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, Mary Florence Potts’ cold-handled sad iron was the toast of the fair. She spent the next two decades touring the country with a promotional lecture. Mrs. Potts will visit Edison Ford as a stop on her tour to promote her invention. She will discuss domestic life in the 19th Century, the science and technology behind the development of her invention, and what it means for a woman to hold a US Patent and manage her own affairs. Her costumed interpretation will be a fitting tribute to Women’s History month as celebrated at many museums around the country. Mrs. Potts will be portrayed by historian and performer Elizabeth Carlson.
Program is included with museum admission. Registration not required.
Special Bonus 1 – attend any of Ellie’s presentations on Friday or Saturday March 22 and 23 and receive a free wooden nickel pass to attend vintage base ball at Terry Park on Sunday March 24.
Special Bonus 2 – Purchase a $5 adult admission at the Terry Park gate and receive a wooden nickel good for $5 off one adult admission to Edison Ford Winter Estates.
Presentation: The Phonograph in Everyday Life
Tim Fabrizio has been restoring, researching and writing about antique phonographs for more than 48 years. He is an artisan and a scholar and has consulted at the Library of Congress, the George Eastman House Museum, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, among other prestigious institutions.
Mr. Fabrizio is also a phonograph restoration expert. He has co-authored and supplied the photography for eight books on the history of sound. This literary series was co-authored with George F. Paul and has garnered awards and praise from around the globe. His experience includes examining and researching thousands of antique phonographs and accessories and he has written most of the price guides in use today in the antique phonograph field.
The phonograph was Thomas Edison’s favorite invention. In honor of Edison’s birthday on February 11, Mr. Fabrizio will be on site for the celebration.
The presentation is included with admission and signed copies of his book “Discovering Antique Phonographs” will be available for purchase after the program. Registration is not required.
