Monday, June 09, 2014

Thomas Edison National Chemical Historic Landmark Dedication June 6, 2014


On June 6 2014, the North Jersey Section of the ACS and the National Parks Service held a dedication service to recognize Thomas A Edison's Chemistry and his Laboratory as an American Chemical Society National Chemical Historic Landmark. Here is the information about the Laboratory from the Edison National Historic Park website.

Applications of chemistry were a common theme in many of his inventions, including the carbon filaments used in light bulbs, plastic materials used in phonograph records, development of the nickel-iron alkaline electric storage battery, and research into domestic sources of rubber.

Edison opened his West Orange laboratory complex in 1887 as an expanded site for research and product development. The complex was among the most modern and well-equipped industrial research facilities in the world and included a chemical laboratory and library of chemical information to support Edison's expansive research, as well as chemical manufacturing operations and factories to produce Edison's inventions. Chemical developments originating from the West Orange laboratory included plastics and waxes for disc and cylinder phonograph records, nickel-iron alkaline electric storage batteries, and improvements to the manufacture of Portland cement

01-IMG_7541.JPGTom Ross National Parks Service, Superintendent of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, made the welcome and opening remarks  

 

 

 

 

02-IMG_7542.JPG The next speaker was Paul Israel Director and General Editor of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers, his talk was entitled "Chemical Solutions: The Role of Chemistry in Thomas Edison's Inventive Work"

05-IMG_7545.JPGDr. Ned Heindel ACS Past President and H. S. Burn Chair Professor of Chemistry at Leigh University presented the Award on behalf of the American Chemical Society.

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Here are photos of the Award presentation featuring Superintendent Ross and Dr. Heindel shaking hands, Superintendent Ross looking at the Award and a photo of the Award.

The Commemorative plaque reads:

Thomas Edison developed an interest in chemistry at a young age, and applications of chemistry were a common theme in many of his inventions.  Edison opened his West Orange, N.J. laboratory complex in 1887 as an expanded site for research and product development.  The complex was among the most modern and well-equipped industrial research facilities in the world with a chemical laboratory and library of chemical information to support Edison's expansive research, chemical manufacturing operation, and factories to produce Edison's inventions. Chemical developments originating from the West Orange laboratory included plastics and waxes for disc and cylinder phonograph records, nickel iron alkaline electric storage batteries, and improvements to the manufacture of Portland cement.

At the Edison National Historic Park in West Orange, there are two chemical Laboratories.  One was the general lab where Edison's workers work and Edison had a private Lab off his office where he could explore chemical reactions by himself.

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The photos above are photos of the general chemistry lab.

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The photos above are photos of Edison's private lab and a photo of a photo of Edison in his lab.

For more information, see the Edison National Historic Site website.

http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm