WINTER PARK, Fla. – This is a rare opportunity.
The Winter Park home of Thomas Edison’s youngest son, Theodore Edison, will be open to the public for an estate sale over the weekend.
Theodore Miller Edison was a businessman, inventor and founder of Calibron Industries, Inc. He and his wife, Anna, owned a home they used as a winter retreat in Winter Park located at 1554 Harris Circle. He passed away in 1992 and his wife died a year later.
News 6 got to tour the home in March 2023 by the previous owners, Sam and Christine Hines, who said the Edison family left behind a few pieces of furniture.
“[A few of] the beds were Edison beds, so they’re cast iron which have been lengthened for use today by taller people and some of the furniture here was left by the Edisons,” Sam said. “After Ann Edison died, Mr. Edison sold the home and left a lot of stuff here.”
The historic home, known as the “Harris-Edison House,” was put on the market in 2023 for $1.2 million by the Hines family. According to real estate websites, it’s now under contract. The Hines family said the home has history well beyond the Edison family residence.
“It was built in 1887 by attorney Hugh McCallum, who was a Scottish attorney who came to the U.S. to invest in agriculture on behalf of investors in Europe,” Sam said.
Then from 1900 to 1925, the home was owned by Orange County road and bridge superintendent, John A. Harris, before the Edison family purchased the home that they used during the summer months. It’s possible, even Thomas Edison spent time in the home to visit his son.
“Our second bedroom we call the Edison bedroom because the Edison family lived here for 46 years as their winter retreat,” Hines said.
Since the home’s construction nearly 140 years ago, a kitchen and bathrooms have been added to the main house. Three closets in the house were also converted into bathrooms.
While a few things have changed, others have stayed the same — like the original pine floors.
While the home is under contract, visitors have the opportunity to take a peek and purchase some of the items inside during the estate sale hosted by the Orlando Estate Sale Ladies on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23.
Doors open promptly at 8:30 a.m. and a sign-up sheet will be placed outside the home at 7:45 a.m. The sale ends at 2 p.m. each day. You can call 321-663-6981 for any questions or visit their website for more information and to view pictures of some of the items including furniture and jewelry for sale.
