Thomas Edison

Nancy Elliott Edison, mother of Thomas Alva Edison, bought the lot on which their house stands in 1841. The house was later built by Nancy and Samuel Edison, designed by Samuel, in the fall of the same year.

Thomas Edison, an American inventor and businessman, was born in 1847. He is best known for his inventions such as the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting electric light bulb.

Thomas Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. He would later become one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding over 1,000 patents.

Thomas Edison, the renowned inventor and businessman, was born in 1856.

Between 1859 and 1863, Thomas Edison worked as a newspaper and sundries seller on a train route between Port Huron, Michigan, and Detroit. This experience allowed him to develop his entrepreneurial skills at a young age.

Edison begins work as a telegraph operator in Port Huron.

Edison obtains a telegraph job for the Grand Trunk Railway in Ontario and returns to the U.S. as a telegraph operator.

From 1864 to 1867, Thomas Edison worked as a traveling telegrapher, gaining valuable knowledge and experience in the field of telegraphy, which would later influence his inventions.

At the age of 19, Thomas Edison started working for Western Union as a telegrapher in Louisville. This marked the beginning of his career in telegraphy, which eventually led to his remarkable achievements in communication and technology.

On October 11, 1868, Thomas Edison made his first invention.

In June 1869, Thomas Edison received a patent for the electric vote recorder, which was his first invention to be patented.

On December 25, 1871, Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwell, a personal event that had a profound impact on his life and career.

On February 24, Edison married Mina Miller.

In March 1876, Thomas Edison moves to a new laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey, where many of his workers also relocate with him.

In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, a device capable of recording and reproducing sound.

On August 12, 1877, Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwill. They had three children named Marion Estelle Edison, Thomas Alva Edison Jr., and William Leslie Edison.

On November 21, 1877, Thomas Edison announced the invention of the phonograph.

On December 24, 1877, Thomas Edison developed the tin foil cylinder phonograph, for which he filed a patent that was awarded on February 19, 1878, revolutionizing the recording and playback of sound.

The Edison Electric Light Co. was formed on November 15, 1878, with the backing of financiers to carry out experiments with electric lights and to control any resulting patents. Edison received a large share of stock in return for handing over his patents to the company.

In 1879, Thomas Edison successfully tested his first light bulb, a pivotal moment in the history of electricity and lighting technology.

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879, which impressed many people. His laboratory was filled with light bulbs, showcasing the impact of this invention.

In 1881, Thomas Edison set up an electric light factory in East Newark to further develop and produce electric lighting systems.

On August 9, 1884, Thomas Edison's wife, Mary, passes away.

Two years after the death of his first wife, Edison marries Mina Miller in Akron, Ohio. They later move into Glenmont, a large estate in West Orange, New Jersey, where they reside for the rest of Edison's life.

In 1887, Edison developed the New Phonograph using a wax cylinder. The Edison Phonograph Co. was also formed in October, and Edison moved to a larger and more modern laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey.

The Vitascope is publicly exhibited at Koster & Bial's Music Hall on April 23 to great acclaim.

In 1892, the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston resulted in the formation of General Electric. This consolidation marked a significant development in the history of electric technology and industry.

The first public demonstration of Edison's 1 1/2" system of Kinetoscope took place at the Brooklyn Institute on May 9.

Edison puts the Edison Manufacturing Co. in charge of the manufacture and sale of Kinetoscopes and films on April 1.

The first Kinetoscope parlor opened in midtown Manhattan on April 14.

The Vitascope, a projector developed by Thomas Armat and Charles Francis Jenkins and marketed under Edison's name, premiered on April 23, 1896, to great acclaim.

In January 1901, the nation's first indoor, glass-enclosed film studio for the Edison Co. in New York was completed. This studio marked a significant advancement in the film industry.

In July 1901, the U.S. Circuit Court recognized Edison's motion picture patent claims in his suit. This legal recognition solidified Edison's contributions to the motion picture industry.

On March 10, 1902, the Court of Appeals reversed the Circuit Court's decision, essentially disallowing Edison from having a monopoly on motion picture apparatus. This legal decision had a significant impact on the film industry.

The Amberol Record, a cylinder that could play as long as four minutes, was introduced, revolutionizing the recording industry.

A devastating fire engulfs most of the factories surrounding the West Orange laboratories on December 9, 1914. Despite the destruction, Thomas Edison, aged 67 at the time, expresses determination to rebuild and continue his work.

The United States Congress honored Thomas Edison by awarding him a Congressional gold medal on May 21, recognizing his significant contributions to science and innovation.

On October 18, 1931, Thomas Edison passed away in West Orange. His death marked the end of an era and had a profound impact on the fields of technology and innovation.

The Edison Birthplace Museum opened on the centennial of the inventor’s birth in 1947, serving as a memorial and museum to honor his legacy.

On September 5, 1962, the National Park Service combined Thomas Edison's home and laboratory into a single national park called Edison National Historic Site. This was a significant recognition of Edison's contributions to science and innovation.

The Omnibus Public Land Act of 2009 designated the area as Thomas Edison National Historical Park, recognizing the significance of Thomas Edison's work and preserving his legacy.