CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. - The Chautauqua Institution has been known as an inventive place since it opened in 1874 as an experiment in out-of-school, vacation learning. But one of its frequent visitors was possibly the most famous inventor of them all, Thomas Edison.
"The reason Edison came to Chautauqua was he was interested in the daughter of the co-founder, Lewis Miller" says Chautauqua Institution Archivist and Historian Jon Schmitz.
Edison had met Mina Miller through a mutual friend in Boston and became immediately infatuated. Mina's father was also an inventor. Later in life Mina took great pride in being the daughter, wife and mother of inventors.
Mina and Thomas were married on the Institution grounds on Christmas, 1886. They were regulars, maintained the family cottage, which was the second installation at the Chautauqua Institution. Recently, Mina and Thomas' great-nephew donated the cottage to the Institution. Schmitz says "It brings one back to the original center of the grounds. It also is of interest because it reflects how things have changed over time."