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1847-1931

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http://tomedison.org

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Unlike past versions of the invention, Edison's phonograph could replay the sounds it recorded.

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Edison's light bulb was the first to be easily mass produced and distributed commercially around the world.

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Replica of the 1890 Hairpin Carbon Filament Light Bulb

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Replica of the 1890 Hairpin Carbon Filament Light Bulb

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Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of the phonograph, the incandescent light bulb, and many other devices that make our lives fuller and simpler, was born in Milan, Ohio, in 1847.
A hyperactive child, prone to distraction, he was deemed "difficult" by his teachers in school. His mother decided to homeschool him, and by age 11, he showed an impressive appetite for knowledge. He read books on all subjects and became an independent learner, which would serve him throughout his life.
Edison began his career as an entrepreneur at the young age of twelve, publishing and selling newspapers on trains and conducting experiments in the box cars.

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In 1869, at 22 years old, Edison moved to New York City and developed his first invention, an improved stock ticker. The Gold and Stock Telegraph Company was so impressed, they paid him $40,000 for the rights. With this success, he was able to devote himself full-time to inventing.
By the early 1870s, Thomas Edison had acquired a reputation as a first-rate inventor. His independent research facility in Menlo Park, New Jersey was the first of its kind. He eventually patented over 1,000 inventions. His most famous were the phonograph, a device for recording sound, and the incandescent light bulb, which brought light to the masses.

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This video describes the impact of Thomas Edison's infamous invention, the incandescent light bulb.

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Thomas Edison Statue at the National Statuary Hall in D.C.

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Thomas Edison Statue at the National Statuary Hall in D.C.

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Edison's career was the quintessential rags-to-riches success story that made him a folk hero in America. A driven perfectionist, he was harsh to employees and ruthless to competitors. His descendants in Milan, Ohio continue to preserve his memory through the Birthplace Museum, and he is still to this day one of the most respected Americans in world history. He had been at the forefront of America’s first technological revolution and set the stage for the modern electric world.

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1. "Life of Thomas Alva Edison." LOC.gov, https://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/biography/life-of-thomas-alva-edison/. Accessed 4 March 2018.

2. "Thomas Edison Biography." Biography.com, https://www.biography.com/people/thomas-edison-9284349. Accessed 4 March 2018.

3. "The Edison Family." Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum, http://tomedison.org. Accessed 4 March 2018.