For starters, THIS is a page-turner: The Story of Fort Myers, by Karl Grismer (Read it right from USF website!)

Click on a picture to scroll through close-ups. Then hover over a picture to read its description.

Crews remove palm fallen after No-Name Hurricane Sept. 1926. Developer Jim Newton's Packard Roadster shown parked while he snapped photos. See custom-made "Edison Park" license plate topper (inset) above front bumper. Ever the salesman!
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Thomas Edison walking with James D. Newton to stand at the fountain entrance of Edison Park for a photograph with Mina - April 7, 1926 at the dedication of the fountain and grand opening of Edison Park.

Thomas Edison walking with James D. Newton to stand at the fountain entrance of Edison Park for a photograph with Mina - April 7, 1926 at the dedication of the fountain and grand opening of Edison Park. (Mr. Edison was unwell with a fever that day, but this was important to him!)

Above: James D. Newton posing with his mother, Jane and bottom: posing with Connie Mack (of national baseball fame) at Edison Park entrance.

Top: James D. Newton posing with his mother, Jane. Bottom: Posing with Connie Mack (of national baseball fame), both at Edison Park’s fountain entrance.

Top: Jim Newton’s roadster parked at Edison Park entrance. Bottom: a tourist’s photo, taken while driving by the Edison Park entrance. (See passenger taking photo of fountain.)

Top: Jim Newton’s roadster parked at Edison Park entrance. (He was out taking photos…) Bottom: A tourist’s photo, taken while standing by the Edison Park entrance. (See car passenger taking photo of fountain, like a million others have done.)

Top: Edison Park entrance decked out for July 4th 1926. Bottom: James D. Newton, in 1926. Also showing the Edison Park entrance plaque - one of two.

Top: Edison Park fountain entrance all decked out for July 4th 1926, probably done by Newton himself, ever the promoter. Bottom: James D. Newton, in 1926. Showing the Edison Park plaque - one of two created for the entrance. Only one survives, in protective storage. The other disappeared in the 1940’s-50’s (rumored to WWII’s scrap metal drive, along with the original lamps, shown). Two similar replacement plaques were created in 1984 by Donald J. Wilkins, notable sculptor of Southwest FL. D.J. welded coins on the four corners of each plaque to date-stamp that year.

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Above: 1938 aerial photo of Edison & Ford Estates and Edison Park’s McGregor Blvd. entrance

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Above: 1927 aerial photo of the southern end of Edison Park, showing the old Tintsman home property and nursery (the current Covenant Presbyterian Church property), and the former homestead of Fort Myers’ 1st permanent settler - Manuel Gonzalez & family, 1885-1897 (for which Manuels Branch is named). This is now Sandra Drive, also known as Edison Manor, a “re-subdivision” of Edison Park.

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Below: Edison Park Aerial 1979

Edison Park Aerial 1979

Below: Edison Park Aerial 2018

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https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00071762/00003/images/81 (an aerial photo website link to Edison Park 1943-44 WORTH the EXPLORATION!)

More to come…