The Glenmont Estate is a 26-room, Queen Anne Victorian mansion that Edison and his second wife, Mina, called home. Photos courtesy of Thomas Edison National Historical Park

There may not be a more fitting place in America to feel a sense of discovery than in West Orange, N.J. 

Sure, you can dangle along the treetops at Turtle Back Zoo, see some fairy houses at South Mountain Reservation or even catch a glimpse of the New York City skyline at Eagle Rock Reservation, but none of this compares to one unassuming collection of brick buildings sitting quietly at 211 Main St. 

You may not sense it simply walking by, but a peek inside each of these structures gets you one step closer to wonders that forever changed the world. Whether it be the chemistry lab, where disk-shaped records and the nickel-iron alkaline battery came to be, or the music room, where phonographic tests laid the foundation for sound recording and talking movies, this National Historical Park is one big window into the life — and legacy — of a “wizard”-like inventor by the name of Thomas Edison. 

From left to right: Madeleine, Mina, Theodore, Charles and Thomas Edison at the Glenmont Estate in 1907.

Preserving The Full Picture 

“We are the laboratory of Thomas Alva Edison, but we’re also his home and his estate, Glenmont, which is really cool because you get to see both sides of the story,” said Karen Sloat-Olsen, chief of interpretation and education at Thomas Edison National Historical Park. “What you’re looking at is, for the most part, what Edison, his family and his company had or used. In total, we have more than 300,000 objects and more than 5 million documents related to Edison, the second-largest collection in the entire National Park Service (NPS).” 

A perk of this extensive collection is piles upon piles of photographs, which the NPS has used to visitors’ advantage. What you see on a self-guided journey today is the byproduct of a careful reconstruction of Edison’s operation as it was in the 1910s and 1920s, when up to 10,000 workers toiled away to create those revolutionary inventions. The ever-expanding reconstruction comes from a continuous analysis of the photo archives, according to Sloat-Olsen. 

Of course, among the displays are iconic collections synonymous with Edison — incandescent light bulbs, phonographs and motion picture cameras — but it’s the magnitude of the operation that really catches people by surprise. 

“During Thanksgiving weekend last year I met a visitor who said, ‘You know, I had no idea. This is huge! I have to come back when I can wrap my head around all the different things that I’ve seen,’ ’’ Sloat-Olsen said. “That seems to be a typical reaction.” 

Take the library, for starters. As you stand in the middle of the massive, wood-paneled building, you can look up to admire three levels with 10,000 volumes containing works used for Edison’s personal and professional endeavors. You’ll see his desk alongside numerous awards and gifts, like an Orpheus statue paying tribute to the disk record, as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ first honorary membership, which was awarded to Edison in 1929 and signed by Charlie Chaplin. 

The music room is where Edison tested how to record music. Cylinder and disc record players are on display so you can hear how music sounded and played back then.

Then, there’s the storage area on the second floor. The basement-like space is a treasure trove of curiosities Sloat-Olsen described as “kind of like being in grandma’s house,” from a footstool made out of horn, to part of a Henderson motorcycle, to a loaf of bread. The NPS is still trying to piece together why Edison had some of these items, but it gets even more intriguing: There’s also a talking doll dubbed the ‘little monster,’ so named for the creepy voice that emanated from its Victorian-era shell. Visitors can scan a QR code on their phones to hear what this little monster sounded like. 

And to think the tour has only just begun. 

Edison’s Glenmont Estate: The Inside Story 

While the laboratory complex showcases the breadth and depth of Edison’s inventive work, the nearby Glenmont Estate — about a mile down the road — offers a look at the leisurely side of his life. He bought the 26-room, Queen Anne Victorian mansion fully furnished in 1886 for $125,000 as a wedding gift to his second wife, Mina. 

Thomas Edison National Historical Park ignites a love for learning in both kids and adults.

Mina took charge of the home and treated it like a business, managing the staff and the surrounding grounds daily. Meanwhile, for Edison, Glenmont was where he rubbed elbows with the who’s who of his generation: Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover (before they became presidents), Helen Keller, Henry Ford, the list goes on. A tour of the home sheds light on its illustrious history by giving a glimpse into places such as the “thought room,” where Edison would often ditch dinner guests and start developing new ideas for inventions. Mina attended these dinners and frequently saved the day, and Sloat-Olsen explained that research studies continue to uncover just how integral her role was in the Glenmont Estate operation. 

“We don’t know as much as we thought about Mina. Many people are starting to realize the strong role that Mina plays not only in supporting her husband but the business as well,” Sloat-Olsen explained. 

An outdoor tour currently in development, titled “Mina’s Place of Business,” will give visitors an in-depth look at her life in and out of the home. A launch date is still up in the air, but visitors can roam the grounds any time of year to see remnants of her handiwork. From global tree and shrub species  to the greenhouse, which contains some of the descendants of the original plants dating back Edison’s time, there’s plenty to appreciate. (Plus, you can pay your respects to both Edison and Mina, who are buried next to the Japanese-inspired garden.) 

The chemistry lab is where disk-shaped records and the nickel-iron alkaline battery came to fruition.

In addition, the NPS has loads of programming at both the estate and lab complex to enjoy. Kids Days, various talks and demonstrations, and Edison Day, which is held in conjunction with the West Orange Street Fair the first Saturday in June, are all on the calendar every year. The live phonograph recording is a fan favorite during Edison Day, Sloat-Olsen said. 

As for tours, the inside of the lab and estate are now open for the 2023 season. The payment process is cashless, and the cost is $15 for visitors ages 16 and older. (Those ages 15 and younger are free.) Hours of operation vary by season, and you can check out nps.gov/edis/index.htm for more information on visitation. Keep in mind the interior of the buildings close every year from January to early March. While lab tours are self-guided, Glenmont tours are always led by NPS staff. 

When you step inside this hub for global ingenuity, don’t forget you can only find it … Just in Jersey. 

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.