09/02/2026
⚡ On This Day in Nikola Tesla History
On September 2, 1919, Nikola Tesla was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,314,718, his "Ship's Log," a device designed to record a vessel's latitude, longitude, and distance traveled at sea.
It's a great reminder that Nikola's inventive mind reached far beyond the wireless power and communication systems he's best known for at Wardenclyffe. Decades before satellite navigation existed, he was already imagining ways to help the world track its own position and movement, an idea that feels remarkably ahead of its time.
Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSCW) shares stories like this one because Nikola's legacy isn't just one invention — it's a lifetime of curiosity applied to problems the world hadn't caught up to yet. You can dig into more of that history on our Picture the Past Tour, a 90-minute guided walk through Wardenclyffe from 1900–1917, filled with archival photography and stories just like this patent.
📍 5 Randall Road, Shoreham, NY
🗓️ Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, 9:30 AM–1:30 PM | Tour season runs March 20–November 15
🎟️ Reservations required: teslasciencecenter.org/tours/ or call 631-886-2632
💛 TSCW members save 15% on tour tickets