About
Thomas Alva Edison, born February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, and died October 18, 1931, in West Orange, New Jersey, was one of the most prolific inventors in history. Having received very little formal schooling, he was educated by his mother. He suffered from permanent hearing loss from childhood. In 1876, he established a pioneering laboratory in Menlo Park, where he invented the phonograph in 1877 and developed in 1879 the first commercially practical incandescent light bulb. In 1882, he supervised the installation of the first permanent commercial central power station on Pearl Street in New York. In 1887, he built a large laboratory complex in West Orange, creating one of the first modern industrial research and development facilities.
Major works
- Phonograph (1877)invention
- Incandescent light bulb (1879)invention
- Pearl Street Station (1882)power station
- Black Maria (1893)film studio
Key milestones
- 1876Established his pioneering laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
- 1882Supervised the installation of the world's first permanent commercial central power station on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan.
- 1928Awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his inventions.
Themes
InventionElectricityInnovationIndustryPerseverance
Sources: loc.gov · britannica.com