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 is also known as the Menlo Park Museum and Edison Memorial Tower. You can find it in the Menlo Park area of Edison, New Jersey.
The tower was officially opened on February 11, 1938. This date would have been Edison's 91st birthday. The tower stands where Edison's Menlo Park laboratory used to be. This lab was the world's first organized place for research and development.
Edison moved to Menlo Park in 1876. The area was then called Raritan Township. Later, in 1954, it was renamed Edison Township. Menlo Park is famous for two big inventions. It is known as the birthplace of recorded sound (November 1877). It is also where the first practical light bulb was made (October 1879). Edison and his team created 400 of his most important inventions here. Edison lovingly called this place his "Invention Factory."
After his wife Mary Stilwell Edison passed away, Edison moved. He relocated to West Orange, New Jersey in 1884. That new location is now the Thomas Edison National Historical Park. The original buildings at Menlo Park slowly fell apart. By 1926, most of them had collapsed or burned down. The only two remaining buildings were moved to Greenfield Village in Michigan. The Thomas A. Edison Memorial Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is an important landmark that honors Edison.
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About the Tower
The top of the tower looks like an incandescent light bulb. It used to have a sound system. This system could be heard from two miles away. A concrete expert named John Joseph Earley helped build it. The tower is 131 feet tall. The "bulb" on top is 13 feet, 8 inches high. It is made of special glass called Pyrex. The Corning Corporation made the glass segments. The tower is listed on both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. It has been restored to keep it looking great.
The Museum at Menlo Park
The museum shows many of Thomas Edison's creations. You can see his phonograph and many of his light bulbs. There are also items related to Edison and his inventions. The museum displays many pictures of Edison's property, inventions, and family.
The rest of Edison's 36-acre property is now the Edison State Park. The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park is managed by several groups. These include the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Township of Edison. A non-profit group, the Edison Memorial Tower Corporation, also helps.
The Edison Memorial Tower Corporation helped renovate the museum. The updated museum reopened on June 9, 2012. It now has old and new items. The new exhibits were designed by Daniel Schnur.
Restoring the Tower
The tower was restored between 2011 and 2015. Workers took small pieces of concrete from the tower. These pieces were tested in a lab. This helped them match the new concrete perfectly. They wanted the new parts to look just like the old ones.
A special plaque, called the Centennial Plaque, was also replaced. It had been stolen years ago. A small piece of the old plaque was sent to an expert. This helped them match the color exactly.
The restoration finished in October 2015. A special ceremony was held on October 24, 2015. This event showed off the newly fixed tower. It also featured a media system that played music from the tower's early days. The ceremony ended with the relighting of the big light bulb at the top.
Some local Eagle Scout projects have also improved the area. One project is a large sign across Christie Street. This sign tells about an electric railroad Edison built there. Another sign is at the bottom of the property, near Route 27. The newest sign was finished on June 8, 2013. It is closer to the museum. This sign shares information about the museum, its website, and opening hours.
The World's Second Largest Light Bulb
The sphere on top of the tower was once called the "world's largest light bulb." However, in 2021, a bigger light bulb was installed. This new bulb is 17 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Another famous sphere, the Union Watersphere, is nearby in Union. It is known as the "world's tallest water sphere."
See also
Images for kids
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The Edison Memorial Tower in 2011 while being restored
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The Edison Memorial Tower as depicted in the seal of the Township of Edison
