In 1876, Thomas Alva Edison became a pioneer on the new indutrial frontier when he

established the world's first research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.  Edison

perfected the incandescent lightbulb there and followed up his invention with an

entire system for producing and distributing electrical power.    Inventor George

Westinghouse added innovations that made electricity safer and less expensive.  Edison's

company organized power plants across the country, while Westinghouse encouraged

scientists to create applications for the new source of energy.