Thomas Edison’s Office 1879 to 1884

Thomas Edison’s Office 1879 to 1884. . , The foundations are of Thomas Alva Edison’s office here at the Menlo Park laboratory complex. The building was completed in early 1879 along with a brick machine shop. This building contained Edison’s massive library and in the basement was a vault (which still exists) in which Edison kept his most important papers and inventions from prying eyes. It was here that Edison met and entertained his most important guests such as financiers, politicians, entertainers, and of course the press. It was here that Edison hosted luminaries such as J.P Morgan and the great actress Sarah Burnhart (sic). Madame Burnhart (sic) was also take around the grounds and into the laboratory. She later called Edison the “Napoleon of Invention”. The laboratory building was where the public looked to see the wonders of Edison’s work, but the office was a private place where Edison and his workers could study and research without being interrupted by the public themselves. In fact, there was a special train from New York that took spectators to Menlo Park where they would stand in the street and wait and watch the great wizard as he went from building to building. He was perhaps the nation’s first superstar. The office stood on the corner of Woodbridge (now Tower) and Christie Street (sic). On December 31st 1879 Edison staged here the first public demonstration of his famous incandescent light and Christies Street became the first street in history to be so lighted., Dedicated July 19, 2003 on the 126th Anniversary of recorded sound., Edison Historic Preservation Commission , George A. Sporado Mayor . This historical marker was erected in 2003 by Edison Historic Preservation Commission. It is in Menlo Park in Middlesex County New Jersey