Edison

Edison is a township in central New Jersey, situated along the Raritan River southwest of New York City. The township took its name from inventor Thomas Edison, who established his Menlo Park research laboratory on the local hills. Early electrical inventions developed at the site included the commercial phonograph and a durable incandescent light bulb.

The settlement formed originally as Raritan Township in 1870 through the division of older colonial municipal tracts. Thomas Edison established his Menlo Park industrial research complex during the 1870s, creating a specialized laboratory for electrical experimentation. The Pennsylvania Railroad laid extensive mainline tracks through the area in the late 19th century, connecting suburban neighborhoods directly to industrial markets. Military logistics depots operated near the river throughout the Second World War, bringing freight warehouses and packaging installations to the basin. A civic referendum renamed the community Edison Township in 1954 to honor the legacy of the inventor.

J.M. Huber Corporation manufactures specialty mineral chemicals and engineered wood composite panels. Colavita USA bottles cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and imports durum semolina pasta under the family brand. MTF Biologics processes human donor tissue into cellular allografts and reconstructive dermal matrices used in orthopedic surgery.

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park features a 40 m (131 ft) memorial tower surmounted by a glass incandescent bulb. Roosevelt Park contains an artificial fishing lake, paved walking paths, and an open-air amphitheater. Middlesex College provides academic degree programs and technical career certifications across its landscaped campus. The Dismal Swamp preserves freshwater wetlands and hardwood forest habitats that shelter native bird species. Oak Tree Road forms a shopping district lined with South Asian grocery markets, spice merchants, and jewelry shops.