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Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Thomas A. Edison
Thomas Alva Edison The Wizard of Menlo Park
Like Ben Franklin, Thomas Alva Edison was both a scientist and an inventor. Born in 1847, Edison would see tremendous change take place in his lifetime. He was also to be responsible for making many of those changes occur. When Edison was born, society still thought of electricity as a novelty, a fad. By the time he died, entire cities were lit by electricity. Much of the credit for that progress goes to Edison. In his lifetime, Edison patented 1,093 inventions, earning him the nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park." The most famous of his inventions was an incandescent light bulb. Besides the light bulb, Edison developed the phonograph and the "kinetoscope," a small box for viewing moving films. He also improved upon the original design of the stock ticker, the telegraph, and Alexander Graham Bell's telephone. He believed in hard work, sometimes working twenty hours a day. Edison was quoted as saying, "Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." In tribute to this important American, electric lights in the United States were dimmed for one minute on October 21, 1931, a few days after his death.
Thomas Edison's Patent Application for the Light Bulb (1880)
Major Accomplishments Edison, Thomas A(lva), inventor; b. Milan, OH, Feb. 11, 1847; s. Samuel and Nancy E.; received some instruction from his mother; (hon. Ph.D., Union coll. 1878; D. Sc., Princeton U., 1915; LL.D., Univ. of the State of New York, 1916); m. Mary G. Stillwell, 1873; children - Marion Estelle, Thomas A., William L; m. 2d, Mina Miller, 1886; children - Madeleine, Charles Theodore. At 12 years of age became newsboy on the Grand Trunk Ry.; later learned telegraphy; worked as operator at various places in U.S. and Canada; invented many telegraphic appliances, including automatic repeater, quadruplex telegraph, printing telegraph, etc. Established workshop at Newark, NJ, removing to Menlo Park, NJ, 1876, and later (1887) to West Orange, NJ. Invented machines for quadruplex and sextuplex telegraphic transmission; the electric pen and mimeograph; the carbon telephone transmitter; the microphone; the microtasimeter for detection of small changes in temperature; the megaphone; the phonograph; the incandescent lamp and light system; the electric valve, (at first called the "Edison effect"), now fundamentally essential in wireless telegraphy; a system of wireless telegraphy to and from moving railway trains; motion pictures; the telescribe; alkaline storage battery; since commencement of European War, 1914, designed, built and operated successfully several benzol plants; also 2 carbolic acid plants; also other chemical plants for making myrbane aniline oil, aniline salt, and paraphenylenediamine; has received patents for more than 1,000 inventions. Was made Chevalier, Officer, and afterwards Comdr. Legion of Honor, by French Govt.; apptd. 1903, hon. Chief consulting engr., St. Louis Expn, 1904. Awarded John Firtz medal, 1908; Rathenau medal (German), Am. Mus. of Safety, 1914; congressional gold medal, 1928, "for development and application of inventions that have revolutionized civilization in the last century". Pres. Naval Consulting Bd., July 1915 --. Made many war inventions for U.S. Govt. Home: West Orange, NJ. Died Oct. 18, 1931. Thomas A. Edison b. Milan, Erie, Ohio, 11 February 1847
d. Orange, Essex, New Jersey, 18 October 1931
Tuesday, 29 May 1928 Joint Resolution To provide for the striking of a medal commemorative of the achievements of Thomas A. Edison in illumining the path of progress through the development and application of inventions that have revolutionized civilization in the last century. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in recognition of the achievements of Thomas A. Edison, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to cause to be struck and presented to Thomas A. Edison a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. For such purpose there is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $1,000. 45 Stat. 1012
Receiving a Congressional Gold Medal honoring his achievements, 1928
click for larger image Additional Edison Resources
Business History Resources in the
Edison National Historic Site Archives
www.eh.net/bhc/Exchange/Edison.html
Celebrating Thomas Alva Edison's
150th Birthday at the Lemelson Center
www.si.edu/lemelson/edison/html/thomas_alva_edison.html
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Ft. Myers, FL
www.edison-ford-estate.com/index2.php3
Edison Birthplace Museum
Milan, OH
www.tomedison.org/index.html
Edison National Historic Site
West Orange, NJ
www.nps.gov/edis/home.htm
Edison Papers Project
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
edison.rutgers.edu
Edison Memorial Tower and Menlo Park Museum
Menlo Park, NJ
www.edisonnj.com/menlopark/museum.asp
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
Dearborn, MI
www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/edison/
Inventure Place: the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Akron, OH
www.invent.org/book/index.html
Library of Congress, American Memory:
Inventing Entertainment
rs6.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edhome.html
Thomas Edison Depot Museum
Port Huron, MI
phmuseum.org/
Thomas Edison House
Louisville, KY
www.edisonhouse.org/
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