Washington Court House in Fayette County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Granville T. Woods in Washington Courthouse
1878–1880
Granville T. Woods was a pivotal African American inventor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Woods invention of a telegraph device enabled railway companies to know the location of each of their trains. This new technology greatly enhanced train scheduling and reduced the frequency of fatal collisions throughout the railway industry. From 1878 through 1880 Woods was a railroad locomotive engineer employed by the Springfield, Jackson and Pomeroy Railroad Company and later by the Dayton and Southeastern Railroad. With frequent stops in Washington Courthouse and extensive leisure time, Woods learned telegraphy from a local telegraph operator.
During one of Woods’ trips from Washington Courthouse to Dayton, he visited the Beckel House. Here he observed the passenger elevator’s mode of signalling to be inadequate. Woods felt that he could improve the process through the use of electrical induction. This planted the seed for one of Woods’ first invention, the induction telegraphy system. After his tenure with the railroad, Woods relocated to Cincinnati, where he began to focus on inventing. In 1886 the Woods Electric Company was organized for the purpose of putting Woods’ inventions on the market. Woods died in New York in 1910.
Erected 2013 by Fayette County Travel and Tourism and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 9-24.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Communications • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1878.
Location. 39° 32.376′ N, 83° 26.765′ W. Marker is in Washington Court House, Ohio, in Fayette County. Marker is on Millikan Avenue just south of Eyman Park Drive, on the left when traveling south. It is in Eyman Park, at the parking lot on Millikan Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 545 Millikan Ave, Washington Court House OH 43160, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. To Our Veterans (approx. ¼ mile away); War Savings Quota (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fayette County War Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fayette County Court House / Washington Court House Riot of 1894 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fayette County World War Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); World War Veterans Bridge (approx. 0.4 miles away); Veterans Memorial Park (approx. half a mile away); Old Washington Cemetery (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Washington Court House.
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry for Granville Woods. “Granville Woods often had difficulties in enjoying his success as other inventors made claims to his devices. Thomas Edison made one of these claims, stating that he had first created a similar telegraph and that he was entitled to the patent for the device. Woods was twice successful in defending himself, proving that there were no other devices upon which he could have depended or relied upon to make his device. After Thomas Edison's second defeat, he decided to offer Granville Woods a position with the Edison Company, but Granville declined.” (Submitted on July 15, 2018.)
Additional commentary.
1.
Too bad that the groups erecting the marker misspelled the city name, several times. It is Washington Court House, not Courthouse.
— Submitted September 11, 2020, by Jeff Garringer of Clarksburg, Ohio.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 15, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 534 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on September 11, 2020, by Jeff Garringer of Clarksburg, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 15, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.