Subject: Re: Edison National Historical Site

From: [email-masked] (Tim Nye)
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 1994 17:07:58 GMT

>>James Kirkpatrick <[email-masked]> wrote:
>>>
>>>Thanks for letting us know.  However, now I'm confused.  Some time ago
>>>it was mentioned that Thomas Edison's lab was part of the Henry Fort
>>>museum and Greenfield Village in Michigan.  Quoting the FAQ:

Stepping out of the light bulb question, I found some info which might 
explain the distinction between the two labs.

This comes from a book called _Menlo Park Reminiscences, Volume One_ by 
Francis Jehl, originally published in 1937 and reprinted by Dover in 1990 (
ISBN 0-486-26357-6).

I bought it about a year ago now (at the Henry Ford Museum actually) and 
have been meaning to read it any-time-now ;-).

Anyway, from the Introduction:

"In 1876, the prolific inventor Thomas Alva Edison established a research 
and development laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey.  Edison obtained over 
400 patents during his six years at Menlo Park for inventions that included 
the phonograph, the telephone transmitter and the incandescent electric 
lighting system."

"Jehl's _Menlo Park Reminiscences_ does more than illuminate the activities 
of Thomas A. Edison at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, between 
1876 and 1882."

"Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had been friends for several years when Ford 
approached him in 1928 about resurrecting the old laboratory as a museum 
piece.  Edison and his company, Thomas A. Edison Inc. (which still 
maintained a large research and manufacturing operation in West Orange, New 
Jersey), agreed to help in the search for material.  [...]  Abandoned by 
Edison in 1882, the buildings has almost totally disappeared from the New 
Jersey landscape.  Ford's associates salvaged as much material as could be 
found in the ruins of the original complex.  Fragments of demolished 
buildings were retrieved, and used in replicating them."

So the facilities at Dearborn Village are a reconstruction of the Menlo Park 
lab while the West Orange lab represents a later Edison operation.

Boy, this book sounds so interesting I may have to read it over the 
holidays. :-)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Nye                            "Duct Tape: The handyman's secret weapon"
University of Waterloo                          - Steve Smith, aka Red Green

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From: [email-masked] (Mr J Brennan)
Date: 16 Dec 1994 16:56:16 -0000

In article <[email-masked]>,
	[email-masked]. (Ron Bach [CASW]) writes:
>In article <[email-masked]>,
>>Joe,
>>      Henry Ford Museum, and/or Greenfield Village (adjacent to the
>>      museum), near Dearborn/Detroit Michigan.  Very large, described as a
>>      paradise for mechanical engineering nuts.  The museum is 12 acres,
>>      and the village is 93 acres.  One day is inadequate for a full visit!
>>      Old cars, steam engines, restored 1880s factories, Thomas Edison's
>>      workshop and Henry Ford's.
>>
>>So, did Edison have a second lab in Michigan or is the above wrong?
>>Maybe he had a lab franchise :-)
>>
>>Jim
>
>  No, Edison did not have a second lab.  Henry Ford had Edison's OLD lab/work
>shop disassembled and move to Michigan.  Seems Ford was nuts about Edison
>and had him visit out there to his (Edison's) lab, during the visit Edison
>need to rest and Ford caused a chair to be brought. After leaving the lab
>Ford had the chair nailed to the floor.  Ah, to be rich.
>  The lab/factory in West Orange is Edison's 2nd/last lab where he did create
>the light bulb, 

If Edison created the light bulb -how come there were Electric Light bulbs
outside Joseph Swan's shop in Newcastle / UK many years before Edisons
supposed discovery. Swan may not have had the sense to patent them but
he invented  the Electric Light bulb.

the phonograph, etc.  Do to a lack of funds many of the
>buildings are no longer open to the public.
>
>-- 
>Ron Bach
>[email-masked]
>These opinions are my own.  Let the company make their own.

-- 
 John Brennan                    Tel +44 203 524425                         
 Warwick Manufacturing Group     Fax +44 203 524144                         
 University of Warwick  UK       Email [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Bill Kish)
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 1994 22:48:56 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick) writes:
>museum and Greenfield Village in Michigan.  

...

>Maybe he had a lab franchise :-)

 Edisons earlier Menlo park lab (where most of the best known
inventions were developed) was moved to Dearborn, The later West
Orange research facility is still where it was built. It's a real
shame that there isn't more money to preserve this site...

		-BK

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