" Plans were developed install fire extinguishing and air conditioning
equipment and fire wall the library; these modifications were never made.F.without changing molesting its
contents.522 The fate the machine shops, and the tools
within them, hung the balance 1939.S. Hammer Asheton, April 10, 1935 (in 1935, WOL).F..A.
521 Historical Department Progress Report, February 11, 1936, and Theodore Edison Charles Edison,
December 1936 Historical Research Dept. Some consideration was given to
offering the tools vocational schools and, although the first floor machine shop
still received some use for special jobs, the possibility losing some machines to
various divisions Thomas Edison, Inc. became apparent. departmental progress report submitted 1936 states
that the library "the most valuable all the materials our care" and 1939
plan recommended "leaving the Library intact.
The effort preserve the laboratory and document its history was formalized in
1928, but the work the Historical Research Department acquired new urgency
after Edison’s death.. The original Laboratory building veritable fire-trap and as
it already contains tremendous amount irreplaceable Edisonia, dread seeing a
further concentration such items. The plan included the removal all the machine tools Building 5
and the conversion the space into permanent museum-of smaller artifacts
and documents presumably. The importance the library the company and the
department clear. Williams, "Rearrangement Edison
Laboratories into Permanent Museum," February 16, 1939, Historical Research Dept.
823 Theodore Edison Charles Edison, November 22, 1939, Historical Research Dept.
822 B.523 Theodore acted prevent the removal a
157
.. certainly hope that some definite
plan can decided upon soon..
820 Theodore Edison Mina Edison, April 10, 1935 (in 1935, WOL)."520
519 Theodore Edison Mrs. Furthermore, one has yet been assigned the
specific duty caring for historical material and old apparatus and instruments
which are scattered about the plant are rapidly disintegrating.R. Morris, E.621
The machine shops, the other hand, were not considered museum
material..619
To his mother, "the one most deeply concerned with the Museum idea," wrote
"letters regard all kinds historical material are pouring here great
rate and never know what with them.I hardly know what say regard making any immediate additions our
exhibit Orange. was Theodore
Edison who finally made the point that the whole laboratory including the library,
machine shops, and experimental rooms was fact the best expression Edison’s
idea organized research. Speiden C. Ellwood, J. Coakley, and N
