West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Main Gate

Edison National Historic Site, New Jersey

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

The Main Gate Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

1. The Main Gate Marker

Inscription.
From 1887 to 1931 Thomas A. Edison, his laboratory employees, and invited guests entered the laboratory complex through this gate and arch. Guards and a tall picket fence (replaced by this chain-link fence in 1917) prevented sightseers and competitors from wandering the grounds.

The wooden gatehouse to your left was added in 1890, three years after Edison built his red-brick laboratory buildings. Behind the gatehouse, building 1 served as the physics laboratory until 1892 when vibrations from streetcars on Main Street upset the delicate instruments. Ahead, Building 5 housed a stockroom, machine shops, and Edison’s personal library-office.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.

Location. 40° 47.036′ N, 74° 14.049′ W. Marker is in West Orange, New Jersey, in Essex County. It is on Main Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: West Orange NJ 07052, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New Jersey’s North Jersey,

in Greater Newark,

and in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Thomas A. Edison Industries (here, next to this marker); Second Commercial Electric Railroad Locomotive (a few steps from this marker); The Laboratory Complex (a few

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steps from this marker); The Truck of the First Commercial Electric Railroad Locomotive. (within shouting distance of this marker); The Truck of the Second Commercial Electric Railroad Locomotive. (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas Edison’s West Orange Laboratory (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas Edison Statue (within shouting distance of this marker); Chemistry Laboratory (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Orange.

More about this marker. Several photographs of Edison and his employees appear on the marker. The bottom left of the marker features a photo of “Thomas Edison, singer Anna Case, and Edison assistants Walter Miller and W.H. Meadowcroft at the laboratory’s entrance arch in 1920.” Next to this is a photo of “Edison employees board[ing] a streetcar on Main Street in 1919. Note the gatehouse behind the streetcars.” A 1917 photo in the upper right of the marker shows three Edison employees in front of the gatehouse.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Take a tour of the markers found at the Laboratory Complex of Thomas Edison National Historical

Marker on Main Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

2. Marker on Main Street

Park.

Also see . . . Thomas Edison National Historical Park, New Jersey. Nation Park Service website. (Submitted on November 6, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Marker at Edison Historic Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

3. Marker at Edison Historic Site

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

4. The Main Gate Marker

The back of the "Main Gate" marker is seen here on the right. The gatehouse mentioned on the marker is also visible in the photo.

Arch at the Main Gate image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

5. Arch at the Main Gate

From 1887 to 1931, anyone who entered Thomas Edison's laboratory complex passed through this arch.

The Gatehouse at Edison's Laboratory image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

6. The Gatehouse at Edison's Laboratory

This gatehouse is located next to the arch and just north of the marker.

Edison's Desk in the Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

7. Edison's Desk in the Library

The desk of Thomas A. Edison is seen here in his personal library in Building 5 of the laboratory complex. His portrait appears above the fireplace.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,201 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 6, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.