information trail
to honor famous inventor
Edison teen builds
information trail
to honor famous inventor
BY MAURA DOWGIN
Staff Writer
EDISON — A new feature was added to the Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Menlo Park Museum recently.
The Thomas Alva Edison Information Trail was researched, organized and built by 14-year-old Douglas Wislinski as his Eagle Scout project.
"I talked with different people, but I basically did all the organization and all the planning," he said.
The information trail, located directly to the right of the museum on Christie Street, is a quarter-mile long and has 12 information posts, each with a fact about Edison, Wislinski said.
"I tried to pick facts about when Edison was working here in Edison," he said.
The museum and information trail are on the same piece of land where the Edison laboratory originally was located. Each fact on the posts relate not only to Edison and his life, but also to the history of the land.
Wislinski researched each fact and had numerous discussions with Jack Stanley, museum director and an expert on Edison, to decide what facts should be displayed on the trail.
The 12 information posts were placed 150 feet apart on the trail, Wislinski said. The posts are designed so people can walk through the beautiful scenery and learn without being overwhelmed.
When people first arrive at the trail, they will see a gateway, a large sign reading "Thomas Alva Edison Information Trail," a sitting area and a picnic area, Wislinski said.
After entering the trail, people will walk and read the information posts standing in the place where all of the inventing happened.
At the end of the trail there is another picnic area for people to sit and reflect on the life and times of Edison.
Wislinski said he has been working on the project since November and is very proud to see it come together.
On the weekend of Oct. 4 and 5, volunteers came to help Wislinski build the trail and put everything together, he said.
"There was an existing trail, but it was kind of beat up," he said.
"I definitely wanted to do something to stay permanent in Edison," Wislinski said.
The trail is educational and meaningful for all of the people who care about the namesake of Edison Township, Wislinski said.