Year of Innovation November

EDISON LIVES ON

November 2014

WEST ORANGE, NJ – The Year of Innovation looks at Thomas Edison's legacy and his impact on the world today.Explore these ideas, attend a program, and see a special exhibit of original artifacts, documents and historic photos during the month of November at Thomas Edison National Historical Park (NHP). The programs are free with admission and will be held at the Laboratory Complex at 211 Main Street unless noted.

1^st Friday –November 7th at 2:30 p.m.

Edison Lives On … in Ft. Myers, Florida

Mike Cosden and Brent Newman, Edison Ford Winter Estates

Explore Edison's legacy in Florida. Learn about the time he spent in Florida, his impact on the community, and the current programs at the Edison Ford Winter Estates.

Mike Cosden is the Curator at the Edison &Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Florida, and is responsible for managing the archival collections and research library. He has spent the last 3 years conducting primary research on Thomas Edison's Botanical Laboratory, which recently received National Historic Chemical Landmark status. Mr. Cosden is currently assisting with the development of a new exhibit about Edison's quest to find a natural source of rubber.Prior to his work at the Estates, Mr. Cosden earned his Masters degree in Library &Information Science from the University of South Florida.

Brent Newman is the new Assistant Curator at the Edison &Ford Winter Estates after having spent the last year as the Registrar. As Registrar, he was responsible for organizing and managing the historical collections of the Estates, including acquisitions, loans, inventories, and exhibits. He has spent over eight years researching and presenting the history of the state of Florida and its diverse inhabitants to the public. Brent has worked at sites throughout Florida including Mission San Luis Historic Site, Mound House, and AH-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum.

2nd Saturday –November 8th at 10:00 a.m. (especially for families)

Have you ever just spent time tinkering with technology?Bring the family and spend a morning as a Mucker. Join us as we explore Thomas Edison's inventive legacy. We will deconstruct a few cell phones and experiment with solar and wind energy. During the experience we will discuss the inventor's designs and how they impact our modern world. This program is designed with families in mind.

3rd Thursday –November 20th at 7:00 p.m.

A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone

Talk and Book Signing with Author Linda J. Barth

In addition to Thomas Edison's 1093 patents, many other ideas have grown in the Garden State. New Jerseyans brought sound and music to movies and built the very first drive-in theater. In addition to the first cultivated blueberry, tasty treats like ice cream cones and M&M's®are also Jersey natives. Iconic aspects of American life, like Bubble Wrap®, the boardwalk, the Band-Aid®, and even professional baseball itself started in New Jersey. Life would be a lot harder without the vacuum cleaner, plastic, and air conditioning, and many other important advances in medicine and surgery were developed here. Join author Linda Barth as she explores groundbreaking, useful, fun, and even silly inventions and their New Jersey roots.