Thomas Edison Historical Park (West Orange, NJ)
Last week, my friend Cyd and I went to the Thomas Edison Historical Park in West Orange. Cyd owns the website, New Jersey Isn’t Boring, so if there is something unique or interesting in the state, she’ll know. I’ve been enjoying traveling the state and learning new things.
To be honest, I didn’t realize Thomas Edison worked in New Jersey. Many of his most well-known creations were all created in West Orange! If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend checking out the Thomas Edison National Historical Park. It was one of the more interesting and historic sites I’ve seen. The National Park Service keeps it in pristine shape.
At the Thomas Edison Historical Park, he created the motion picture camera, improved phonographs, sound recordings, movies and the “nickel-iron alkaline electric” storage battery.
After eating at a diner, we headed over to the Thomas Edison Historical Park.
Here is a little bit of information in case you are interested. The Thomas Edison Historical Park itself hosts both Edison’s home as well as his lab site. It was designated as a National Historic Site in 1955. Even though the Thomas Edison Historical Park closed for several decades, and it reopened on March 30, 2009. During its closure, it was in service and used to manufacture several of Edison’s inventions. After renovations on the entire lab complex, it was completely reopened for visitors on October 10, 2009.
Here are a few interesting photos from the Thomas Edison Historical Park:
This is his desk at the Thomas Edison Historical Park exactly as he left it. 
The Thomas Edison Historical Park took about 2 hours to view. I highly recommend it, if you’re ever in the area.
Questions for you:
What was the last museum or historic site you’ve been too?
Are there any historical sites in your local area?
This looks like a neat museum. I’m glad you got to visit it with Cyd (sounds like she has a great website too) and see the neat stuff, but that talking doll is pretty freaky!
We have quite a few historical sites here in Charleston, many of which are related to the Civil War (Fort Sumter, Plantations, various monuments). It’s not the prettiest time in history, but it is very important to learn about so that it is not repeated. Also, a lot of cities have monuments and memorials that people don’t know about- we have a Holocaust memorial here that I’d driven by for years and never knew what it was.
So cool! What an interesting place to visit.
The doll creeped me out!! Did you get to go to his homestead down the block?
We did not because it’s only open on Sundays. Have you been before?
Yes, very neat spot.