Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum
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Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park
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The Edison Memorial Tower in 2011 while being restored.
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| Location: | 37 Christie St., Edison, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates: | 40°33′47″N 74°20′22″W / 40.56306°N 74.33944°WCoordinates: 40°33′47″N 74°20′22″W / 40.56306°N 74.33944°W |
| Area: | 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built: | 1937 |
| Architect: | Massena & DuPont |
| Architectural style: | Art Deco |
| Governing body: | State |
| NRHP Reference#: | 79001505[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | November 30, 1979 |
The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, also known as the Menlo Park Museum / Edison Memorial Tower, is a memorial to inventor and businessman Thomas Alva Edison, located in the Menlo Park area of Edison, New Jersey. The tower and museum were dedicated on February 11, 1938, on what would have been the inventor's 91st birthday.
The tower marks the location of Edison's Menlo Park laboratory. Edison and his staff later relocated to West Orange, NJ in 1884 to what is now the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, after which the original buildings began to deteriorate. By 1926 most of the buildings had either collapsed or burned, and the only two remaining buildings were moved to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.
The tower's pinnacle is meant to represent an incandescent light bulb[2] and originally included an audio system that according to a 2004 Weird NJ magazine could be heard from a distance of two miles. The American concrete pioneer John Joseph Earley was involved in its construction. The Tower, which rises 131 feet above the Terrace, is topped by a 25 foot high Bulb made of Pyrex segments.
The museum showcases many of Thomas Edison's creations including the phonograph and many of his light bulbs, as well as memorabilia relating to Edison and his inventions. The museum also showcases many images taken of Edison's property, inventions, and family.
The remainder of Edison's 36-acre (15 ha) estate is now the Edison State Park.
The township of Edison, NJ plans to renovate the building. A visitor center will also be added next to the base of the memorial. Although not clear, plans may start as soon as January 2012, and construction around July. The township is trying not to increase the resident's taxes, but donations are low.
[edit] See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, New Jersey
[edit] References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ History of the tower, Accessed September 30, 2009.
[edit] External links
- Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum
- Article on tower preservation efforts
- Edison Tower to receive $1.8 million for repairs, Edison Metuchen Sentinel, Sept. 13, 2006.
- Edison Tower renovations begin; fundraising continues, Edison Metuchen Sentinel, Jun. 20, 2007.
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