Lad and Ladies in Training: American History

A history lesson for you.

Another Badge we did was visit the Thomas Edison Laboratory. This was very interesting and we thoroughly enjoyed looking at all his inventions. Albert enjoyed visiting his library (and maybe did some coveting!), the library was HUGE. Here is some information on him from Wikipedia:

"Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park",[1] he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large-scale teamwork to the process of invention, and because of that, he is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory.[2]Edison is the fourth most prolific inventor in history, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is credited with numerous inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular, telecommunications. These included a stock ticker, a mechanical vote recorder, a battery for an electric car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures.
His advanced work in these fields was an outgrowth of his early career as a telegraph operator. Edison developed a system of electric-power generation and distribution[3] to homes, businesses, and factories – a crucial development in the modern industrialized world. His first power stationwas on Pearl Street in Manhattan, New York.[3]"

"Thomas Edison National Historical Park preserves Thomas Edison's laboratory and residence, Glenmont, in Llewellyn Park in West Orange, New Jersey. For more than forty years, the laboratory had a major impact on the lives of people worldwide. Out of the West Orange laboratories came the motion picture camera, improved phonographs, sound recordings, silent and sound movies and the nickel-iron alkaline electric storage."

The Chemistry Lab

This is where Thomas Edison did most of his experiments. One fascinating fact I think is that once he died, they closed the doors on the Lab and only opened it as an museum years later.

His chemistry Lab

more bottles

It's hard to believe he actually worked here

This is the actual invention that made him money, a battery

All the bottles were labeled and haven't been touched
since they closed the doors once he died, impressive!

More bottles of who know what?

Trying to make cement (in the Lab)

The lab was cleaned and they left a piece unclean.
There was no health and safety regulations in those days.

This was a replica not the original

We didn't go inside - too hot.

The following photo's are taking inside the factory, again an impressive building, most of the tools/machinery was left as it was when they closed the factory down. His factory was one of the first ones that ran on electricity powered by diesel engines.