Glenmont

Glenmont is the Victorian Queen Anne mansion in Llewellyn Park where Edison and his wife Mina lived from 1886 until his death. The house is part of the national historical park and can be visited on ranger-led tours. The interior is preserved largely as it appeared in the early 20th century: the elaborate Victorian decoration that was fashionable when the house was built, gradually overlaid with Edison's later acquisitions and the couple's personal effects.

The garage is a particular highlight, containing Edison's electric cars — remarkable objects in themselves, built by Edison as practical demonstrations of the nickel-iron battery he invented. The garden is peaceful and well maintained, and the views from the property across Llewellyn Park's landscaped grounds are a reminder of how prosperous and rural West Orange was in the Gilded Age. Tours must be booked in advance; check the national park website for current schedules.

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A story
Edison bought Glenmont in 1886, the year before he set up his West Orange laboratory, as a wedding gift for his second wife Mina Miller. He and Mina lived there until his death in 1931, and both are buried in the garden. Edison's electric cars — some of the earliest ever built — are still in the garage, exactly as he left them.