Edward W. Morley House facts for kids
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Edward W. Morley House
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 26 Westland Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1906 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 75002057 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1975 |
| Designated NHL | May 15, 1975 |
The Edward W. Morley House is a special old house located in West Hartford, Connecticut. It's known as a National Historic Landmark because it was once the home of a very important scientist named Edward W. Morley (1838–1923). He lived here from 1906 until he passed away in 1923. Morley is famous for working with another scientist, Albert A. Michelson, on a big experiment called the Michelson–Morley experiment. He also did important work figuring out the atomic weights of hydrogen and oxygen.
What is the Edward W. Morley House?
The Morley House is a two-and-a-half-story wooden house. It has a sloped roof and one chimney. You'll see some dormer windows sticking out from the roof. At the front, there's a porch with a low roof and a small gable above the steps leading to the front door. This house was built in 1906 specifically for Edward W. Morley. He lived here until he died in 1923, and it hasn't changed much since then.
Who was Edward W. Morley?
Edward W. Morley was born in 1838 in Newark, New Jersey. He was taught at home by his parents; his dad was a minister and his mom was a teacher. He went to Williams College and then studied theology. But he soon found his true passion in science! In 1869, he started teaching chemistry at Western Reserve College.
Morley's Amazing Scientific Discoveries
Morley became a very respected chemist and physicist during his time at the college. He helped build the equipment for the famous Michelson–Morley experiment. This experiment was super important because it showed that light doesn't need a special "ether" to travel through space. It proved that light can move on its own!
Morley also made a huge discovery on his own. He carefully calculated the atomic weights of hydrogen and oxygen. This helped scientists understand the exact makeup of water, which is formed from these elements.
Morley retired in 1905. He moved into this house in West Hartford and even continued doing experiments in a laboratory in his garage until he passed away in 1923.
