Thomas Alva Edison was born in 1847 in Ohio and grew up to become one of America's greatest inventors. As a young boy, he showed a talent for tinkering and sold newspapers on trains. In his early career, Edison developed telegraph technology and founded his famous research lab in Menlo Park. Some of his most important innovations include inventing the phonograph in 1877, developing the first industrial research lab, and creating the first successful incandescent light bulb and electric power distribution systems in the late 1870s and 1880s. By the end of his life, Edison held over 1,000 patents and helped revolutionize industries with his inventions and innovations.