Encountering firsts while traveling is always a special feeling. First dip in the Pacific Ocean (at Bodega Bay), first mission control room visit(in Houston), first tasting of Oysters( in Orlando), first visit to the Southernmost point (Key West) and to the northernmost (Niagara); there is something almost magical about these numero unos.
One such first that I recently (read one year ago, when traveling was not eaten up by Covid) encountered was visiting The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park in New Jersey. When I first arrived in Edison, New Jersey I had no clue that it was named after Thomas Alva Edison; the light bulb guy. After a hiking plan went downhill, I and a friend visited Menlo Park and stumbled on the signage that leads to the Edison Center. On the corner of the street, I saw a big light bulb. Across the street, I saw a very tall tower with a light bulb on top. It was evident that we had reached the right place.
From the exterior, I didn’t realize that the small blue cottage that I was about to enter, was all of the museum. It was just 2 rooms. But from experience, I know, it is the smaller museums that are filled with richer stories. So I joined the guided tour lead by the master storyteller Chuck. Armed with his stories and humor he introduced us to Edison and all his inventions.
The 10,000 experiments
Edison was not the inventor of the light bulb, he was the perfector. Light bulbs existed before him, but they could last only 15 seconds. It is said that he tried 10,000 different filaments to make the bulb last longer. It was only later that he changed his approach and took the oxygen out of the bulb. The resulting vacuum made the bulb last for 14 hours.
A truly bright New Years Eve
To make his invention public, Edison announced in the newspaper that anyone who wanted to see his invention can come to Menlo Park on New Year’s Eve. He didn’t really expect a crowd. But around 3000 people got down when the train stopped. As the clock struck 12, Edison turned on the light bulb. People were mesmerized by the new light bulb. They thronged Edison with questions. After the event, as this large crowd started walking back to the train station Edison turn the lights on, on Christie Street; the first street in the world to get its very own street lights. Walking down that road in 2019, I wondered about the rapid progress of science. Almost a hundred and fifty years ago artificial light was a miracle, and now science is trying to get as close as possible to the speed of light.
Telephone, phonograph and motion pictures
Edison is known for the light bulb, but he also gave volume to Graham Bell’s telephone, through the invention of carbon mouthpiece. He invented the phonograph and a portable version of it too, making it the world’s first iPod. Inspired by a flipbook of his children, he contacted a certain Mr. Kodak and Lumiere brothers to project the first motion picture on the streets of New York City. Google “The First Sneeze” to see the first-ever thing recorded on film.
The eternal light
Outside the museum is a huge tower, with a light bulb perched on its head. The tower stands in the exact spot as Edison’s desk. The base of the tower is black and the colors slowly move towards white, signifying the movement, from darkness to light. In the tower is another small light bulb and the Museum’s aspiration is to keep it glowing till eternity (It is actually a glass, with light shining on it from the bottom, but don’t tell).
A visit to this humble museum definitely brightened my day and flicked the curiosity switch of my mind back on. What’s inspiring you lately?
Also Read:
A culinary adventure in San Francisco
One thought on “On the path of light – Edison, New Jersey”