In which city did Tesla work for Thomas Edison after arriving in the US?

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After arriving in the United States, Tesla worked for Thomas Edison in New York City. He began at the Edison Machine Works in Manhattan in 1884, soon after emigrating from Europe.

Tesla was recruited partly through Charles Batchelor, an Edison manager who had supervised Tesla's work for the Continental Edison Company in Paris. At the New York machine works, Tesla troubleshot electrical installations, improved dynamos, and worked on equipment for the city's growing electric-utility system. He was also asked to develop an arc-lighting design.

Tesla remained with the company for about six months before leaving under circumstances that remain disputed. Later accounts focus on a promised bonus, but historians question the details of the famous story involving Edison and a supposed $50,000 reward. Tesla's time in New York nevertheless gave him valuable practical experience and placed him directly inside the emerging electrical industry. He later became one of Edison's most famous rivals during the War of the Currents.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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