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Edison National Historic SiteHistoric Photo of Laboratory
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Edison National Historic Site
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1888s photo of the Black Maria - the world's first motion picture studio.  

Did You Know?
West Orange, NJ, was the birthplace of motion pictures. In 1893, Thomas Edison built the first building for the recording of motion pictures. It was dubbed THE BLACK MARIA. It got its name because it was large and black and looked like the police wagons of the day, which were called black marias.

Last Updated: April 23, 2007 at 09:35 EST