SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (AP) - It was 125 years ago that Thomas Edison first visited Schenectady, arriving with a bright idea packed among his luggage.
The man known as "the Wizard of Menlo Park" had already invented the phonograph and the light bulb when he traveled from his New Jersey research lab to the upstate city, arriving on Aug. 20, 1886.
The Daily Gazette of Schenectady reports that Edison came to Schenectady to establish a manufacturing operation that would produce his inventions in a more efficient manner.
Six years later, Edison's company merged with another to form General Electric, which was headquartered in Schenectady for decades.
Today GE is one of the world's largest corporations.
To mark the 125th anniversary of Edison's arrival, the Edison Tech Center in Schenectady is holding a commemoration event Saturday afternoon.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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