Topics in History: Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856 in the Austrian Empire in what is now Croatia.  Tesla was an inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer and physicists who is best known for his contributions to the design of the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.  He emigrated to the United States in 1884 and worked briefly for Thomas Edison in New York City before establishing his own company.  In his New York laboratories he patented his AC motor and experimented with wireless lighting, x-ray imaging,  and the radio remote control.

Tesla’s experiments with wireless power and his study of the conductive nature of low pressure air brought him to Colorado Springs in 1899.  Upon his arrival, he told reporters that he planned to conduct wireless telegraphy experiments, transmitting signals from Pikes Peak to Paris. In 1901 Tesla returned to New York to build a wireless communication system to be transmitted through a large electrical tower he built on Long Island that became known as Wardenclyffe.  Tesla lost financial backing and the project was eventually abandoned. For the rest of his life, Tesla continued to work but he struggled to gain support for his experiments and inventions. He died on January 7, 1943 in New York City.  Over his lifetime he obtained around 300 patents worldwide for his inventions.

Historic Newspaper Articles About Nikola Tesla

Tesla and His Experiments

• This Age Boulder Daily Camera November 6, 1896
• The Vacuum Tube Will Supplant the Incandescent Bulb Daily Journal January 13, 1897
• Teslas Triumph Aspen Tribune August 5, 1897
• Teslas New Light Colorado Transcript January 12, 1898
• According to New York newspaper correspondents Steamboat Pilot June 22, 1898
• Mr. Tesla is an electrician of no mean fame Colorado Transcript November 23, 1898
• Wealth in Little Things Fort Collins Courier December 1, 1898
• Teslas Latest Aspen Weekly Times December 3, 1898
• Nikola Tesla promises miracles. Fort Collins Courier December 29, 1898
• Personalities Weekly Courier January 19, 1899
• New Telegraphy Being Done Without Wires Castle Rock Journal February 3, 1899
• Tesla Hopes to Excel Marconi Fairplay Flume April 7, 1899
• Tesla, the Wizard of Electricity Will Communicate With Other Planets Aspen Tribune May 16, 1899
• Artificial Daylight Daily Journal September 27, 1899
• In Favor of Tesla Colorado Transcript October 18, 1899
• Wireless Electricit Fairplay Flume July 6, 1900
• Invention and Appetite Yuma Pioneer July 20, 1900
• Uses of Aluminum Aspen Tribune October 19, 1900

Tesla in Colorado

• Tesla Will Try Colorado Lightning Aspen Tribune May 18, 1899
• Nikola Tesla is in Colorado Aspen Tribune May 21, 1899
• Nikola Tesla, the noted electrician Colorado Transcript May 31, 1899
• The correspondent of the Denver Republican Basalt Journal September 23, 1899

This topic in history and the related online primary sources are brought to you by the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, a free online resource of primary sources. For this and other topics, please visit the Colorado Historic Newspapers Topics page. For questions about CHNC, contact Leigh Jeremias, ljeremias@coloradovirtuallibrary.org