Heady times they were, working for Thomas Edison at his legendary West Orange Labs. Many inventors and craftsmen dreamed of such an opportunity. It would be like saying you worked for Elon Musk today. Among those who earned that privilege was Miller Reese Hutchison—affectionately known as “Hutch”—who joined Edison’s team in 1909 and served as Chief Engineer of the West Orange laboratory from August 1912 until July 1918.

For Hutchison, working for Edison was the culmination of a lifelong dream. As a boy of 12 in his native Alabama, he aspired to work for the great inventor. Like Edison, Hutchison was a triple threat—an accomplished inventor, entrepreneur, and promoter. This shared dynamic supercharged their discussions, spurring bold new ideas and vibrant headlines.

Hutchison’s Groundbreaking Contributions to Innovation

Hutchison’s inventiveness began early. While still in school he invented and patented a lightning arrester for telegraph lines in 1895. However, his most well-known invention was his electrical hearing aid called the “Akouphone” which he first developed around 1895. By 1902, he had refined the hearing aid into a more portable form powered by batteries, which he then called the Acousticon. Today, advertisements for hearing aids on radio, TV and the Internet are commonplace.

His contributions extended across industries, reflecting the same versatile genius that characterized Edison. Some of his notable inventions include:

• The Klaxon Car Horn: Known for its iconic “ah-oo-gah” sound, it became a staple in early automobiles.
• Electrical Tachometers for Steamships: Essential for engine monitoring and performance.
• Submarine Batteries: A crucial wartime innovation during World War I.
• Spool of Wire Fastener: An alternative to staples, showcasing his knack for solving everyday challenges.
• Steel Gun Projectile Rivets: These revolutionized the repair of ship hulls and construction girders.
• Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Early efforts to improve environmental sustainability in gasoline combustion.
• Oxygen Sensors for Drivers and Pilots: Advanced tools to enhance combustion efficiency and reduce emissions.

A Lasting Legacy of Innovation and Achievement

In June 1913, Auburn University awarded Hutchison an honorary Electrical Engineering degree, and in June 1914, Spring Hill College granted him an honorary Ph.D. His remarkable career earned him induction into Alabama’s Hall of Fame in 1936, with his patents estimated to exceed 1,000. While this total falls just shy of Edison’s 1,093 domestic patents (and 2,332 international patents), Hutchison’s accomplishments are no less extraordinary.

Amplifying Edison’s Genius: A Collaboration That Shaped Innovation

Hutchison and Edison’s collaboration was rooted in a shared belief that technology could transform everyday life. Their work together at West Orange Labs extended into critical areas like naval technology, where Hutchison’s submarine batteries built directly on Edison’s wartime contributions.

The partnership between the two inventors went beyond mentorship—it was a dynamic exchange of ideas. Edison’s broad vision and experimental approach paired seamlessly with Hutchison’s inventive precision, enabling them to tackle complex challenges together.

Through this collaboration, Hutchison was able to carve out his own legacy of innovation, contributing groundbreaking solutions that not only advanced technology but also shaped the future of industries like naval technology, communications, and automotive design. His work continues to resonate today as a testament to his ingenuity and forward-thinking approach.

Picture a museum visit that transcends the ordinary—a journey where history and future dreams converge in a thrilling ride. As representatives of the Thomas Edison Foundation, we were thrilled to experience the “Fly Me to the Moon” exhibit at the New Jersey Hall of Fame Education and Learning Center within the American Dream complex. At the exhibit’s entrance stands a remarkable sight: Edison’s original Model T Ford that was given to him by Ford himself. This iconic car, more than a century old, gleams as if ready for yet another groundbreaking adventure.

Our journey begins with a visit to a corner of Edison’s West Orange laboratory, a recreation complete with an up-close look at an original phonograph and full size Edison cut out.

Next, we step into a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience – The “Fly Me To The Moon” ride featuring New Jersey icons like Edison, Einstein, Buzz Aldrin and the Kelly Twins. While the ride starts in a familiar West Orange driveway, we soon find ourselves transported into a virtual reality experience where Edison’s vintage car transforms into a futuristic spacecraft. This vehicle, symbolic of Edison’s spirit of innovation, propels us on an exhilarating voyage through space, highlighting the Hall of Fame Inductees’ pivotal contributions to space exploration.

As the Model T lifts off, it whisks us through a series of stunning space travel scenes, getting the ride of a lifetime on the simulator chairs and a captivating show on the big screen illuminating the legacy of New Jersey. The ride seamlessly blends historical ingenuity with cutting-edge technology, echoing Edison’s own ethos of perpetual advancement. The “Fly Me to the Moon” exhibit vividly captures how Edison’s pioneering vision continues to inspire new generations to reach for the stars.

Stepping out of the transformed Model T, our senses buzzing from the cosmic ride, we dive into the vibrant expanse of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. This isn’t just a museum—it’s a celebration of the Garden State’s coolest achievements, living up to its motto, “Everybody Needs a Hero.” From singing karaoke with Frankie Valli to interviewing Danny DeVito on his most iconic roles, the museum blends science, music, and cinema into a fun, interactive journey. Here, Edison’s ingenuity meets Aldrin’s space dreams, all under one roof, inspiring everyone to find their inner hero.

Ready to experience the “Fly Me to the Moon” exhibit for yourself? The New Jersey Hall of Fame Education and Learning Center is NOW OPEN at the American Dream complex in East Rutherford, NJ. Situated in a premier entertainment and retail destination, it offers an engaging journey through New Jersey’s rich legacy in science, music, and cinema. For more details and opening dates, visit the Education and Learning Center’s website and plan your visit to this inspiring museum.

The 14th annual Thomas Edison Pitch Contest finals, brought to you by Edison Innovation Foundation, showcased the brilliance and creativity of young minds, including students from 8 different states and even from Malaysia. These students were selected from approximately 889 students from 114 schools across the country.

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New Jersey is bustling with energy as filmmakers rediscover the magic of that state that the industry was created in. In other words, “Hollywood” is coming home.

You may have read in the news that Netflix is preparing to build their next “mega studio” in the same state from where Thomas Edison built the world’s first movie studio, the Black Maria. Governor Phil Murphy’s administration says that this initiative could help turn Jersey into the “Hollywood of the East.”

The state is actually booming with new construction in cities like Bayonne, Newark and Carteret…all just a few miles from where the Black Maria stood in West Orange, NJ.

The award-winning movie “The Joker” and series “Succession” were filmed in the same Northern part of New Jersey as Edison’s historic movie, “The Great Train Robbery.” 

Edison’s legacy is deeply intertwined with New Jersey’s vibrant film history. The revolutionary Black Maria was created in 1893 and served as a laboratory for experimentation and creativity, where Edison and his team pushed the very early boundaries of visual storytelling.

Nicknamed for its similar appearance to a paddy wagon, the Black Maria was equipped with a roof that could be opened to use the sunlight for the kind of lighting needed to capture the films at this time, since it wasn’t available with bulbs yet.

It was a kind of living piece of technology that had to be wrestled into place every hour or so. It used the light of the sun for filming and since the sun moves about 15 degrees across the sky every hour, Edison’s staff had to push the building around on a circular track to make sure it faced the sun for maximum illumination.

Although mostly 20 seconds long, stories unfolded within this studio’s tar-covered walls that would forever change history. The earliest copyrighted film in history that still survives is actually Edison’s “Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze” in January 1894. He was also one of the first to experiment with color film and putting sound to film in this very studio.

Today, as the landscape of filmmaking undergoes another transformation, New Jersey emerges once again as a hub of cinematic innovation with its vibrant blend of cultures, bustling cities, and timeless landscapes. These modern studios, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and fueled by boundless imagination, are poised to redefine the cinematic landscape yet again. The resurgence of excitement and creativity is truly reminiscent of Edison’s era.

As we embrace the future, let’s not forget the lessons of the past and pay homage to the visionary pioneers who paved the way for us. Innovation isn’t just about technology; it’s about preserving the spirit of creativity and exploration that defines New Jersey’s cinematic legacy.

In this ever-changing world, the magic of cinema seems to have found its way home.