Thomas Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman who has been described as one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is credited with developing the first practical incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera.
Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847. He was the seventh and last child of Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr., a shingle maker, and Nancy Matthews Elliott Edison. Edison’s formal education was limited to three months of schooling in Port Huron, Michigan. He was largely self-taught, and he developed a lifelong love of reading and experimentation.
In 1868, Edison moved to New York City, where he worked as a telegraph operator. He soon began to invent devices to improve the telegraph, and in 1870 he founded his own company, the Edison Electric Light Company. In 1876, Edison moved his company to Menlo Park, New Jersey, where he established a research laboratory.
At Menlo Park, Edison and his team of scientists and engineers developed a number of groundbreaking inventions, including the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. Edison’s inventions had a profound impact on the world, and they helped to usher in the age of electricity and mass communication.
In 1887, Edison moved his company to West Orange, New Jersey, where he continued to invent and develop new products. He also established a number of businesses, including the Edison General Electric Company, which later became General Electric.
Edison died in West Orange on October 18, 1931. He was 84 years old. He is considered one of the most important inventors in history, and his work has had a lasting impact on the world.
Related Links:
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park
- The Edison Museum
- The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
- The Smithsonian Institution