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Famous Guests Of The Birthplace

Ever since Thomas’ wife, Mina Miller Edison, and their daughter Madeleine Edison Sloane first opened the Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum on February 11, 1947, guests from all around the world have made the trip to Milan, Ohio, to see the first home of the world’s foremost inventor. Last July alone, the Birthplace welcomed visitors from every continent except Antarctica. When Mina and Madeleine opened the Birthplace to visitors 78 years ago, their mission went far beyond preserving family history. They hoped to reveal the personal side of Thomas Edison and spark curiosity and ambition in the minds of future innovators. In the decades since, the Birthplace has hosted various distinguished visitors, all drawn by the chance to walk in the footsteps of a man whose ideas helped usher in the modern world. 



Thomas Edison in the Milan Town Square, accompanied by Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Source: Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum
Thomas Edison in the Milan Town Square, accompanied by Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Source: Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum

Edison’s Friends: Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone


The first “visitors” to the Edison Birthplace were by far two of its most notable. On August 11, 1923, Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and Harvey Firestone, a fellow Ohio native and founder of Firestone Tires, stopped by Milan to check out the small village where Thomas Edison had seen the first light of day. They were greeted with a crowd of thousands in the village square, along with the finest music and fanfare of the day. Who was their tour guide? Well, it was none other than Thomas Edison himself! This trip to Milan marked the final time that Thomas Edison would visit the Birthplace. The general tour route that Edison took Ford and Firestone on through the house is the same one that visitors to the Birthplace follow today.



Thomas Edison visiting the Birthplace, which he then owned, on August 11th, 1923. On this trip, he brought Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford (who you can barely make out on the porch) along with his family. Source: Ohio Memory
Thomas Edison visiting the Birthplace, which he then owned, on August 11th, 1923. On this trip, he brought Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford (who you can barely make out on the porch) along with his family. Source: Ohio Memory

Musical Artists: KRS-One and Whitney Houston


Without Edison’s phonograph, recorded music would simply not exist. Two of the best musicians to ever pick up a microphone in their respective genres are KRS-One and the late Whitney Houston. A pioneering figure in hip-hop, KRS-One, short for "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone", has been both a musical innovator and an outspoken advocate for education and social change. His thought-provoking lyrics and community leadership have made him a legendary voice in American culture. Houston, too, had a legendary voice. One of the best-selling music artists of all time and a six-time Grammy winner, Whitney Houston was a global superstar known for her powerful voice and unforgettable performances. With hits like "I Will Always Love You", “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, and "Greatest Love of All," she inspired countless generations through her music and philanthropic work.


Civic Figures: Charles Edison, Governor Mike DeWine, and Henrietta Holsman Fore


Throughout his life, Thomas Edison met with government and civic leaders from all across the globe. One of them coincidentally was his son, Charles Edison. Charles, the son of Thomas and Mina, continued his father's legacy of public service and innovation, serving as U.S. Secretary of the Navy and later as Governor of New Jersey. In addition to being a champion of the arts and education, he led his father’s companies upon his death. Closer to home, one public servant who has visited the Birthplace is current Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. DeWine has devoted his entire career to bettering the well-being of Ohioans, and he has decades of leadership experience at both the state and federal levels. Another great leader to have visited the Birthplace is Henrietta Holsman Fore. A former Director of the United States Mint, she has also served as Executive Director of UNICEF and Administrator of USAID, two organizations that support humanitarian efforts around the globe.


Authors: Dr. Paul Israel and Joyce Maynard


The Birthplace has attracted scores of incredible authors and researchers over the years. Two of them are Dr. Paul Israel and Joyce Maynard. Dr. Israel is the Director and General Editor of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University, one of the most ambitious research projects ever undertaken. The fantastic staff at The Edison Papers Project has collected over five million documents related to Thomas Edison. Dr. Paul Israel is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the life and work of Thomas Edison, and his scholarship and dedication have been vital in preserving and interpreting Edison’s legacy for future generations (and for researchers like myself). As alluded to earlier, Joyce Maynard is also an incredibly accomplished author. She is celebrated for her deeply personal storytelling and widely read novels such as Labor Day and To Die For. Some of her recent works include Under the Influence, Count the Ways, The Bird Hotel, and How the Light Gets In. She visited the Birthplace in 2016, and while she was in Milan, she also stopped by the Milan Public Library.



A signed poster and tickets documenting when Mickey Rooney visited Milan, Ohio, and the Thomas A. Edison Birthplace on display at the Don Gfell Educational Center. Source: Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum.
A signed poster and tickets documenting when Mickey Rooney visited Milan, Ohio, and the Thomas A. Edison Birthplace on display at the Don Gfell Educational Center. Source: Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum.

Actors: Margaret Hamilton and Mickey Rooney


Along with creating the incandescent bulb and the phonograph, Thomas Edison significantly contributed to the motion picture industry. Margaret Hamilton and Mickey Rooney were two other great contributors to the motion picture industry. Although she was most well known for her role as the original Wicked Witch of the West in the The Wizard of Oz (a story inspired in part by Thomas Edison), Cleveland’s very own Margaret Hamilton was better known offscreen for her warmth, sharp wit, and lifelong commitment to education and children's causes. Mickey Rooney, whose impressive 86 (Yes, you read that right!) year acting career included an appearance in 1940 as a young Thomas Edison in the 1942 film, Young Tom Edison, was known far and wide for his immense talent. Later in his life, Mickey Rooney came to Milan to raise money to keep the Birthplace around for the public to enjoy.


Percy the Peacock, who “lived” on the Birthplace grounds for several years. He still resides in Milan. Source: The Morning Journal.
Percy the Peacock, who “lived” on the Birthplace grounds for several years. He still resides in Milan. Source: The Morning Journal.

Honorable Mention: Percy The Peacock

 

Arguably, one of the most famous visitors of the Birthplace was also a “resident” of the Birthplace. His name was Percy, and as the heading implies, he was a peacock. Percy the Peacock captivated locals and visitors alike during his four years at the Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum. Although his origins remain a mystery, Percy charmed many with his stunning blue feathers and distinctive presence. He also had a penchant for climbing on top of the Birthplace. Visitors would often ask questions about Percy instead of questions about Thomas Edison. In August 2021, Percy retired from public life and moved to a home far from the Birthplace on the other side of the old Milan Canal. He is so popular that even his human admirers created a Facebook page named “Friends of Percy Milan Ohio,” which now boasts a “flock” of almost 750 followers.


Are you our next excellent guest? I certainly think so! Mina and Madeleine opened the Birthplace for great minds like you to explore, and for the past 78 years, thousands of people have stopped into the home of the world’s foremost inventor to experience it for themselves.


We look forward to seeing you at the Thomas A. Edison Birthplace soon!

Sources Used and Encouraged for Further Reading


Dillon Liskai, a native of Clyde, Ohio, is a Bowling Green State University junior. He is pursuing a degree in Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) Integrated Social Studies Education, specializing in History.


Dillon has been a tour guide at the Thomas A. Edison Birthplace Museum for the past three years. When not at school or the museum, he enjoys cheering on the Bowling Green Falcons, spending time with friends and family, and exploring local history.


Have a question for Dillon? Reach out via email at dliskai@tomedison.org!

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