June Events at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates

As we welcome the summer season, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates is gearing up for a summer full of education, programs, and family fun.

Edisonia Native Girl by Denege Patterson

Program and Book Signing
     Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in Edison’s Caretaker’s House? It’s one of the most unique buildings on the historic property, a converted cracker house, which remains as one of the oldest buildings in Fort Myers.

     On Friday, June 11^th at 11am, Florence Keen Sansom, who was born in the Edison Caretaker’s House in 1917, is the subject of Denege Patterson’s book, Edisonia Native Girl.

     Join Sansom as she presents “A Heart-to-Heart Conversation.” This is a not-to-be-missed program chronicling her childhood, gardens, artwork, and Florida in the 1920s. Patterson and Sansom will be available to sign your book after the program. 
Refreshments will be served. The cost is FREE for Members, non members $5.   

Happy Father’s Day!
     The Estates is offering FREE admission to any father accompanied with their paid child on Father’s Day.  Free admission includes a tour of the newly restored homes, the historic botanical gardens, the Estates Museum and Edison’s Research Laboratory

 

  
Wild & Crazy Kids!
     Whether it’s inventing, acting, animation, or science that peaks your child’s interest, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates has a camp for them! Registration is still open for the Estates Inventors’ Summer Camp.

     Camps are available for grades 1st – 6th and sessions are separated by grade levels, 1st – 3rd and 4th – 6th. Space is limited and filling up fast! Cost for Estates Members is $200; non members $230.  Scholarships are available by calling the Estates at 239-334-7419. 
The Estates Inventor Summer Camp schedule is the following:
 Eager Engineers, June 13 – June 17 (GRADES 1-3 full, GRADES 4-6 open)
Spaceships & Rockets, June 20 – June 24
NEW Animation in Action, June 27 – July 1 
NEW Super Solar Scientists July 5 – July 8
ESI – Edison Science Investigation, July 11 – July 15 
Movie Making Magic, July 18 – July 22 
Kitchen Chemistry, July 25 – July 29
NEW Smarts in Art, August 1 – August 5

Registration forms are available online or can be picked up at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates at 2350 McGregor Blvd.  For more information or to sign up contact the Estates Education Department at 239-334-7419

Sprechen Sie Deutch?
     For our German speaking visitors, the Estates is now offering a German language tour led by a German Estates Site Historian on Wednesdays at 10:30 am.  The tour includes the historic homes, gardens, and Edison Botanic Research Laboratory in German. German Audio Players also still available on a regular basis.

We Keep On Growing!
     For all you garden lovers out there, the Estates Botanical Tours will continue to be held on Tuesdays at 10 am, but will change from Friday mornings to Saturdays mornings at 10 am.  The tour includes a serene walk through the historical gardens, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Estates Propagating Nursery led by Estates horticultural staff. 
Cost for Estates Members is FREE; non members, $24 for adults and $10 for children ages 6 -12.  Upgrade your ticket for $6 to include a self-guided audio wand tour of the historic buildings and Estates Museum. 

Brilliant Idea for the Whole Family!
     “Family” means “FUN” at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. The Young Inventor’s Tour is a hands-on museum experience for children focusing on the inventions of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. 

     Children will learn how the inventions work and have the opportunity to operate historic education artifacts including the light bulb and the phonograph, while practicing the assembly line and rubber research.  The tour is available on a first come, first served basis and includes admission to the Lab and Museum. 
Estates Members are FREE; non members $12, $5 children ages 6 -12, children five and under FREE.  Tickets are available at an additional cost to upgrade to a complete Home and Gardens Estates Tour.

Visit our new website for news, upcoming events, purchasing tickets and memberships, renewing memberships and shop on line at the Estates Museum Store and Garden Shoppe. 
The Estates is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the web site at www.edisonfordwinterestates.org.

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The Estates has received a grant  from the Florida Legislature through the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, assisted by the Florida Historical Commission.

Edison & Ford Winter Estates Programs – June 2010

June at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates is highlighted with the return of the Dead Fish Printing Workshop, Free Admission for Fathers on Father’s Day, and a new Botanic Lab Exhibit in the Museum.   Regular guided tours of the historic buildings and gardens as well as audio wand tours are available daily. Expanded Botanic Tours are available on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 9 AM and they include the botanical gardens as well as the propagating nursery. The Estates are open daily from 9 AM until 5:30 PM. Special activities include:     

 

Fish Printing Workshop, June 19, noon – 3 PM

Just in time for Father’s Day join guest artists and  architects for a Dead Fish Printing Workshop (ancient Japanese art form, gyotaku) on t-shirts or other clothes for a one-of-a-kind gift for dad. The workshop is free (a $5 donation is suggested  for Estates Summer Camp scholarships) and participants are encouraged to bring their own shirts, although shirts in limited sizes will be available for purchase.                                                                                                                                                          

Free Admission for Dads on Father’s Day, June 20

The Estates is offering FREE admission to any father accompanied with their paid child on Father’s Day. Free admission includes a tour of the newly restored homes, the historic botanical gardens, the Estates Museum and Edison’s Research Laboratory.

New Volunteer Orientation, June 8, 10 AM

Join Estates staff to learn about volunteer opportunities, Estates policies and general Museum information. This is a mandatory training for all new Estates volunteers but potential volunteers are welcome. Volunteers receive free Membership in the Edison & Ford Winter Estates and other benefits.

 

Docent Training, June 17, 9AM

New Estates volunteers who are interested in becoming Edison & Ford porch docents, Lab and Museum docents, or group tour docents of the Estates grounds must attend this mandatory lecture and meeting.

 

Quilting and Stitchery Demonstration, June 26, 10 AM – 1 PM

Quilter’s from the Southwest Florida Quilter’s Guild and members of the Southwest Florida Embroidery Guild will demonstrate quilting, knitting and stitching techniques. In the early 1900’s Henry and Clara Ford collected, celebrated and displayed quilts and other historical objects in their museums and homes. The Southwest Florida Quilter’s Guild presented the Estates with a replica Ford Collection Quilt that is on exhibit in the Estates Museum. Demonstration is FREE with purchase of Estates Home and Garden Tour ticket. 

 

Registration for Edison & Ford Winter Estates Inventor’s Summer Camp

The Estates Inventor’s Summer Camp is back again this year and the Wild Wizard is here all summer long. Camp begins on June 7, 2010 and runs through August 20, 2010.  Camps are open for grades 1-6 and sessions are separated by grade levels. Campers will make movies, become science detectives, launch objects into orbit, construct bridges and animate their own short films.  Registratin forms are available online at www.efwefla.org or are available at the Estates.  Estates Members $200; non members $230. Scholarships are available. For more information on specific topics, dates and times contact the Estates Education Department at 239-334-7419.

The Estates is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The Estates is the winner of the 2009 National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an official project of “Save America’s Treasures” at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. For additional information call 239-334-7419 or visit the web site at www.efwefla.org.

Print a Fish T-Shirt for Dad and Visit on Father’s Day

What:   Fish Printing Workshop & FREE admission for Fathers
When: Workshop on Saturday, June 19, Noon until 3 PM
            FREE admission for Dad’s on Sunday, June 20, all day 
Where:   Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers
Who:  Fathers, Grandfathers, children – bring the entire family

Join guest artists and architects for a Fish Printing Workshop (also known as gyotaku, the Japanese art of fish printing) at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in the Edison Caretaker’s House on June 19 from Noon – 3 PM.    Participating artists include Karen Flanders, City of Fort Myers Councilman and architect Mike Flanders and Parker Mudgett Smith architect Sean Gilmore.   Local real fish will be provided by the Edison Fish Market.

For a one of a kind gift for Dad, participants will create fish print t-shirts or fish prints on other clothing.  The Estates will furnish the fish, paint, and skill for participants to make a lasting keepsake of the day and a great Father’s Day gift 

Both the Edison and Ford families were well known for their love of fishing and fish.  It is not known if they tried gyotaku although the art form has been around for centuries as it was the first method for recording information about fish by printing the fish impression on rice paper. 

The workshop is FREE (a $5 donation is suggested which goes toward Estates Summer Camp scholarships) and participants are encouraged to bring their own shirts or printable fabric.  The Estates will have some t-shirts in limited sizes available for purchase.

On Father’s Day, June 20th,  Dads will be admitted FREE to tour the Estates accompanied with their paid child.    FREE admission for dad’s includes a tour of the newly restored homes, the historical botanical gardens, the Estates Museum and the Edison Research Laboratory.

The Estates is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The Estates is the winner of the 2009 National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an official project of “Save America’s Treasures” at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. For additional information call 239-334-7419 or visit the web site at www.efwefla.org.