Portrait of Thomas Edison as a Teenager, circa 1865

Summary

A ruddy Thomas Edison sat for this portrait around age fourteen, while he was working on the Grand Trunk Railway. Edison sold popular newspapers and magazines, cigars, and candy to passengers traveling between his hometown of Port Huron and Detroit, Michigan. Edison also printed and sold his own newspaper, displaying the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that would characterize his life.

A ruddy Thomas Edison sat for this portrait around age fourteen, while he was working on the Grand Trunk Railway. Edison sold popular newspapers and magazines, cigars, and candy to passengers traveling between his hometown of Port Huron and Detroit, Michigan. Edison also printed and sold his own newspaper, displaying the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that would characterize his life.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

circa 1865

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1630.P.188.6573

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Linen (Material)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 11 in

Width: 7.5 in

Related Content

Connect 3

Discover curious connections between artifacts.

Learn More