20/48.- Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, McGregor Boulevard

Back on the mainland you’ll find the town of Fort Myers not far from Fort Myers Beach.

Southwest Florida had its share of pirates and scoundrels who helped themselves to the gold in Spanish ships making their way back to Europe. But the man most famous in the Fort Myers area, Thomas Edison, was neither pirate nor scoundrel. Instead, he was a pioneer, noted for his inventions of the light bulb, phonograph and film projector. Edison also enjoyed botany and brought in some 200 royal palms from Cuba that adorn both sides of McGregor Boulevard. He bought himself a nice cozy winter home and encouraged his good chum, Henry Ford, the guy who perfected mass production of cars, to move in next door in 1916. Many people mistakenly take the lovely statue to the right as the entrance to Edison and Ford’s homes. But that’s all right. It’s still an interesting place to visit.

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