Hildene, Robert Lincoln's Vermont estate

[L Verge]

I'm trying to remember the name of those wonderful trees at Edison's home in Fort Myers - the ones whose roots grow so many feet out of the ground that you can practically walk under the roots??

Roger - Remind Betty and me to tell you some of our escapades in Ft. Myers while she was on a speaking engagement at the historical society there shortly after Alias Paine was published. One memorable moment was being chased by a pick-up truck of local yokels and having our driver make a sharp left into a cemetery in the dark of night to lose them - which didn't work...

[Jim Page]

I'm trying to remember the name of those wonderful trees at Edison's home in Fort Myers - the ones whose roots grow so many feet out of the ground that you can practically walk under the roots??

Banyon trees!!! We had those in Naples, too; there was an enormous one in what was then called Fleischmann Gardens, an area donated by the folks who sold yeast. That site later became Jungle Larry's African Safari.

Don't know what it might be now, if it's even still there.

--Jim

[L Verge]

Banyons, that's it! Somewhere around my house is a photo of me standing by a root that is almost as tall as I.

[RJNorton]

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/...ing,539122

[L Verge]

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/...ing,539122

Somehow, it makes me feel good that even the big guys have trouble finding enough volunteers. I was also pleased to see that our Surratt House serves almost as many school children a year as does Hildene. Several years ago, we topped the 3000 mark.

I will say that, in my younger days, I would be tempted to move to that beautiful area and volunteer at that magnificent site -- they would just have to cure those damnable cold winters up there...

[RJNorton]

Very nice short video about Hildene:

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capita...mily-home#