Road Trip NJ-NY: Thomas Edison NHP

New Jersey

April 21, 2022

I have been making progress on hitting as many of the National Park units as I can, and so when my friend Carol said she would join me on a trip to New Jersey to visit the lab once owned by Thomas Edison I took her for a road trip to see it. 

The Thomas Edison National Historical Park is located in West Orange NJ. The location is where the Edison labs were located for many of the inventions that Edison had been involved in as well as many of the others who were leads in inventions. 

Edison was born in 1847 in OH. He had little formal education, but was taught by his mother to read and write. By the age of 13, he was selling items on a train making myself a bit of a profit. He used his money to by electrical and chemical kits. He was noted as always being an inquizative child. 

Edison held many jobs over his younger years, but he was always interested in inventing things. His first well known invention was the telegraph. Later he patented the phonograph. He is also known for lightbulbs. Many of his inventions were expansions of previous inventions. With the phonograph for example, he used an alternative materials to make the sounds better. 

The lab was pretty cool. 

I was amazed by all of the old equiptment. The lab was built in 1886, located near his home called Glenmont. Many of the funding for the project was contributed by Henry Ford. Edison had many contributors from the community and even from the war efforts. 

Edison's office. 

We were told that many of the items found in the lab had been left just as it was after his death, making restoration and autisinticy accurate. 

Some of Edison's additional inventions included, the fluoroscope (x-ray machine) which he assisted in inventing with Clarence Daly. Edison abandoned the project after nearly going blind, Daly died from radiation as he continued with the project. 

He was also credited with the first motion pictures called the Kinetograph. There was once standing the machine/building that Edison had used located on the property but due to a fire this was loss, there currently is a reproduction. 

Edison was also involved in the use of chemicals for the war and had taken an interest in mining at one point, inventing a machine that would pull iron ore from the dust.

Edison also invented the Spirt phone. At the time, speaking with the dead, seances, and ghosts were popular at social events. Did it ever work? 

He also held to develop the talking doll. 

I really enjoyed the tour and lab. I didn't realize the scope of inventions that Edison had been involved in. His contribution to society is the backbone for many of the items we take for granted today. Edison worked up to his death. His last focus had been on making a plant based rubber. 

After the lab, we visited his home, Glenmont. Visitation of the home was closed, but we did enjoy the garden and visited he and his wives grave located on the property. 

While in the area we visited a local park that offered one of the best views of NY City. 

The park held a memorial of 911. This would have been one of the horrific views to behold the city's aftermath of 911.

We both took time to reflect on this tragic memory of that day. 

 It was a great day to explore NJ and spend time with Carol. The trip continued as we head on to a new adventure the following day.