Celebrating Our Past

"The electric light has caused me
the greatest amount of study and
has required the most elaborate
experiments." 
–Thomas Edison

On October 21, 1879, Edison invented the long-lasting incandescent light bulb. Edison perfected the bulb after trials with over 6,000 filaments.

Edison was nicknamed the "Wizard of Menlo Park" and it was in his Menlo Park Laboratory in New Jersey that he created the incandescent light bulb. 

During 1880, Edison continued to refine his light bulb. He also began exploring ideas for an equally important invention: a way to generate and transmit the electricity his light bulb would need. A reliable and affordable electricity supply was essential if the light bulb ever was to become a practical appliance for homes and businesses.

Additional Resources

• Electricity: Past and Present 
• Invention of the Light Bulb
• Edison's Pearl Street Station
• History of the Electric Power Industry
• Electric Industry Milestones (1800 to Present)

© 2008 Edison Electric Institute