Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum facts for kids
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Thomas A. Edison Memorial Tower
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The Edison Memorial Tower in 2011 while being restored
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 Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 37 Christie Street, Edison, New Jersey |
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| Area | 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1938 |
| Architect | Massena & DuPont |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001505 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1979 |
The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park is a special place that honors the famous inventor, Thomas Alva Edison. It includes the Menlo Park Museum and the Edison Memorial Tower. You can find it in the Menlo Park area of Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
The tower was officially opened on February 11, 1938. This date would have been Edison's 91st birthday. The Center is part of the 36-acre Edison State Park on Christie Street. This street was actually the very first in the world to be lit by an electric lightbulb! The park is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Edison Township, and a group called the Edison Memorial Tower Corporation.
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Edison's Invention Factory
Thomas Edison set up his first research lab in Menlo Park in 1876. This was the first lab of its kind anywhere in the world! The area was once called Raritan Township. Later, in 1954, it was renamed Edison Township to honor the inventor.
The Light Bulb's Birthplace
One of Edison's most famous inventions, the incandescent light bulb, was perfected here. On October 22, 1879, Edison successfully tested a bamboo filament. This filament glowed for over 30 hours! This amazing discovery came after he had tried more than a thousand different materials.
Other Amazing Inventions
Three years before the light bulb, Edison invented the phonograph. This machine could record and play sounds. He even recorded himself saying "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Edison also made Alexander Graham Bell's telephone better by using carbon. He even created an electric train and tested it on a track built around his lab. This track is now where Christie Street and Route 27 are located. Edison and his team created 400 of his most important inventions at this site. He proudly called it his 'Invention Factory'.
Moving On
In 1887, Edison needed a bigger lab closer to New York City. So, he moved his research center to West Orange, New Jersey. Today, this site is known as the Thomas Edison National Historical Park. By 1926, most of Edison's original buildings in Menlo Park were gone. Some burned down, and others fell apart. The last two buildings were moved by Henry Ford in 1929 to Greenfield Village in Michigan.
The Edison Memorial Tower
Construction on the Edison Tower began on May 17, 1937. It was built as a new monument to Edison. On February 11, 1938, seven years after Edison passed away, the tower was officially opened. This Art Deco style tower stands 131 feet (about 40 meters) tall. It honors the "Wizard of Menlo Park."
Tower Design and Features
The very top of the tower looks like an incandescent light bulb. It was made from Pyrex glass by the Corning Corporation. The tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 30, 1979. This shows how important it is as a landmark. It is also on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
Tower Restoration
The tower had to close in 1992 because pieces of concrete started falling off. In 1997, it was listed as one of New Jersey's most endangered historic sites. A group called the Edison Township Memorial Corporation began a $3.87 million project to fix it. The tower was carefully restored from 2011 to 2015. Workers even took concrete samples to make sure new parts matched the old ones perfectly.
A special plaque, called the Centennial Plaque, had been stolen years ago. A new one was made during the restoration. The restoration finished in October 2015. A re-dedication ceremony was held on October 24, 2015. This event celebrated the newly fixed tower, its media system, and the relighting of the giant light bulb at the top.
The "World's Largest Light Bulb"
For a long time, the sphere on top of the tower was called the "world's largest light bulb." However, in 2021, an even bigger light bulb was put up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That one is 17 feet tall and 10 feet wide!
The Menlo Park Museum
The building that was once the tower's gatehouse became a museum in the 1940s.
What You'll See at the Museum
This small museum has two rooms filled with cool items from Edison's life. You can see historic light bulbs, phonographs, and parts of Edison's electric train track. The museum shows off many of Edison's inventions and pictures of his property and family. Outside, on Christie Street, there are signs that tell you more about Menlo Park during Edison's time.
The museum was updated and reopened on June 9, 2012. It now has old and new artifacts, plus fun activities you can try.
Exploring the Park
Around the two historic acres of the museum, there's a small forest with walking trails. You can find a small pond, a meadow, and ravines along these trails.
See also
