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

The Courtyard

Edison National Historic Site, New Jersey

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

The Courtyard Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

1. The Courtyard Marker

Inscription. This open space between the laboratory buildings served many purposes: delivery area, test site, motion picture set, photograph backdrop, greeting area, and parking lot. Activities here changed almost daily.

The laboratory buildings surrounding the courtyard once bustled with groups of assistants working on various inventions. Thomas Edison directed these projects toward a single end – organized, systematic research to produce “inventions useful in various arts.”

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

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.

Location. 40° 47.047′ N, 74° 14.015′ W. Marker is in West Orange, New Jersey, in Essex County. It can be reached from Main Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in Thomas Edison National Historical Park. 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 Edison Statue (a few steps from this marker); Making Movies (a few steps from this marker); Thomas Edison’s West Orange Laboratory (a few steps from this marker); Black Maria Replica (a few steps

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from this marker); The Truck of the Second Commercial Electric Railroad Locomotive. (within shouting distance of this marker); The Black Maria (within shouting distance of this marker); The Truck of the First Commercial Electric Railroad Locomotive. (within shouting distance of this marker); Blacksmith Shop – Building 7 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Orange.

More about this marker. The top right of the marker contains a photograph of “Employees filming a fire drill by the main laboratory building, 1912.” The lower left of the marker features a photograph of “Thomas Edison, in white suit on stage, address[ing] finalists in the Edison Scholarship Contest, 1929. Charles Lindberg is seated to the right of Edison.” Next to this is a photo of “Fred Ott, in derby hat, and his brother John – two of Edison’s longtime associates – test[ing] an electric railway motor for streetcar use, about 1890.”

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 Park.

Also see . . .

Marker in Edison National Historical Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

2. Marker in Edison National Historical Park

Thomas Edison National Historical Park, New Jersey. Nation Park Service website. (Submitted on November 7, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

3. The Courtyard Marker

The Courtyard image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 6, 2009

4. The Courtyard

This view of the courtyard was taken from the marker. Edison's main laboratory, Building 5, can be seen in the photo.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 7, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 897 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 7, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.