Many people on Long Island have never heard of Nikola Tesla.
Tesla, a Serbian-American, was an electrical genius known for his many innovative achievements. With over 100 US patents, Tesla, not Marconi, invented the radio along with- the remote control, an alternating current (AC) power system, and a bladeless steam turbine, to name a few.
One would be fascinated to know that Nikola Tesla’s legacy has deep-rooted ties to Long Island, as Shoreham is the home of his famous laboratory. Built by his friend and reputable architect Stanford White in 1901, Wardenclyffe became the home to Tesla’s vision of a “World Wireless System.”
Tesla notably thought ahead of his time, as his vision for the tower mirrored what would become the world wide web.
“As soon as completed, it will be possible for a businessman in New York to dictate instructions and have them instantly appear in type at his office in London or elsewhere,” said Tesla. “More important that all of this, however, will be the transmission of power, without wired, which will be shown on a scale large enough to carry conviction.”
The tower once stood at 187-feet high with a 55-ton steel hemispherical structure at the top, being 68 feet in diameter. A vast well was dug, with most likely underground tunnels stretching 100 feet in each direction. In fact, in 2018, the Discovery Channel filmed a multi-episode docuseries exploring these supposed tunnels, and the other myths and mysteries that surround Tesla’s legacy. Filming took place at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe and the Rocky Point Fire Department.
With a growing obsession for his wireless system, Tesla officially moved his lab from New York City to Shoreham in 1902. Lacking funds, and with the community worried over an electrical display of currents through the tower, Wardenclyffe was closed and abandoned in 1906.
In 1917, the unfinished tower was scrapped to pay for Tesla’s debts.
In recent years, there has been much attention drawn to the property in the hopes that it could be converted into a museum. Elon Musk, whose company Tesla is obviously named for the pioneer, donated money to preserve the property. In 2016, it became a known historic site of physical significance. The property was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
Since then, the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, a non-profit organization, has taken ownership over the property with its mission to restore the land, preserve the laboratory and develop a science and technology center.
For now, web-based science programs are available online. Other events are also held at Wardenclyffe. On Friday, October 21, LI Paranormal Investigators will host a guided tour of the only remaining laboratory of Tesla’s.
The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe rests right on 25A, with the laboratory only a few yards away from the main road. While it is easily visible, there is also a statue of Tesla that stands in front of it that was gifted by the People’s Republic of Serbia.
The address for the Tesla Science Center is 5 Randall Road in Shoreham. More information is available on their website at teslasciencecenter.org.
