Edison "New Year's Eve" Demonstration Lamp

Edison, Thomas Alva · 1879

When many people imagine an inventor, they think of Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931). One of the most prolific inventors in history, For many years Edison held the record for the most United States patents issued to an individual. Perhaps the most significant of his many inventions, a commercially practical light bulb, became the reason many people adopted electricity. They wired their homes, businesses, and other buildings for lighting, then took advantage of electric power for other uses. The desire for and profits from electric lighting supported the electrification of the U.S.