Thomas Edison and Charles Steinmetz Bronze Statue

In 1889, Thomas Edison contributed to the industrialization of the City of Schenectady by opening the site of his Edison Electric Company  (Now known as General Electric (GE) ) on Old River Road. Schenectady’s population grew from 19,902 people in 1890 to 72,826 in 1910 due to the attraction of employment at GE and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) by immigrants from Eastern Europe. 

Although Edison chose to build his electric company on an old broomcorn field in the city in 1886 he didn’t spend much of his time in Schenectady. Instead when he learned what Charles Steinmetz was doing with electric motors at Eickemeyer and Osterheld in Yonkers he bought out the company and acquired Steinmetz’s patents as well. 

Originally from Prussia, Steinmetz relocated to Schenectady to work at GE and decided to make Schenectady his home. Being the mathematics and engineering genius that he was he earned himself the nicknames “Forger of Thunderbolts” and “The Wizard of Schenectady”.

Steinmetz immersed himself in the city and contributed his time to many roles including president of the City Council, the founder of the city park system, president of the school board, and the founder of an electrical engineering department at Union College. In his free time he enjoyed riding his bicycle and taking photographs of the city.  

Steinmetz had a genetic spinal deformity, and as a result chose not to marry and have children. He died of a heart attack at the age of 53 on October 26, 1923. 

It wasn’t until May 22, 2015 that a bronze statue of these two prominent men was built on the corner of Erie Boulevard and South Ferry Street.