Thomas Edison National Historical Park

This is a journey back in time to when machinery was powered by belts and pulleys and music was played on phonographs. Thomas Edison’s house and laboratory are a time capsule. Yet, unbeknownst to the casual observer, the structures bear little resemblance to the industry that they formerly supported. Learn about the place where America’s greatest inventor altered the course of history.A great post.

Located at Main Street and Lakeside Avenue in West Orange, New Jersey, is a collection of red brick buildings known as the Lakeside District. When a passing car looks at the facilities, they see little sign of their former magnificence or the people who formerly worked there. However, Glenmont, the estate of Thomas Edison, is just a short distance away. Combined, the laboratory and house retain the work and character of America’s most famous inventor and the family, friends, and business acquaintances who played a critical role in his rise to prominence.

The museum holdings of Thomas Edison National Historical Park are by far the most comprehensive collection of Edison-related memorabilia now on display anywhere in the world. His sixty-year career as an investor, producer, businessman, and private person culminated with the invention of the light bulb. The collections are split into three major categories: historical artifacts, archives, and natural history, and they include holdings from both the Laboratory complex and the Glenmont Estate. The collections are housed in the Laboratory complex and the Glenmont Estate. The sheer scale of the assets is intimidating: the history collection, for example, is expected to include more than 300,000 artifacts, while the archives have roughly five million papers, according to current estimates. The Glenmont Estate’s Natural History Collection comprises plant specimens that were gathered as part of a 1995 plant inventory and added to the collection. It is the third most extensive museum collection in the National Park Service.

Thomas Edison National Historical Park was created “to celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of the great American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison,” according to the park’s mission statement (Presidential Proclamation 3148). Between 1955 and 1962, a series of legal negotiations between the federal government and Thomas A. Edison, Inc. (after known as the McGraw Edison Company) resulted in the transfer of the land to the National Park Service (NPS). New Jersey’s West Orange Township contains a township of the same name. A total of 21.25 acres are dedicated to preserving Thomas Alva Edison’s laboratory, his estate Glenmont, and his collections in perpetuity. The park welcomes over 60,000 people every year who come to enjoy, learn about, and appreciate this vital part of America’s history. Next Blog Post >>>

Contact them at 973-736-0550 if you have any questions or concerns. As long as staff members are accessible, phones will be monitored, and messages will be reviewed on Wednesdays through Sundays. Suppose there is no one available to accept your call. In that case, you may leave a detailed message with your return contact information, and they will do their best to get in touch with you as soon as possible.