Water Systems

Although Fort Myers was surrounded by water, clean water was difficult to obtain in the town's earliest days. After purchasing this property in 1885, Thomas Edison created a site plan that emphasized water-related needs, including a storage tank over the original laboratory, a large piping network to irrigate his gardens and supply water for his home, and a decorative fountain. In 1902, he began installing an extensive water sprinkler system and had more wells dug, including two deep artesian wells. A fire standpipe system was installed in 1909 with a 100-foot hose supplied by an artesian well, and in 1919 hand-held Pyrene chemical fire extinguishers were added to the estate. In July 1919, Edison began construction on a large reinforced concrete cistern with nine-inch-thick walls that held nearly 40,000 gallons of water. Rainwater from the homes roofs was piped into the cistern, and two pumps and a pressure tank sent the water back to the residences for daily use. This system allowed all of the raised wooden water tanks on the property to be removed. By 1929, Edison had connected the property to the city's water supply near McGregor Blvd.

Fort Myers, Florida · United States