Nikola Tesla
Born 1856 · Age 169
Serbian-American engineer, inventor and futurist best known for development of alternating current (AC) electrical systems, the induction motor and the Tesla coil.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Smiljan (Austrian Empire)
Born into an ethnic Serb family in Smiljan (then Austrian Empire, now Croatia).
Started primary school in Smiljan
Attended primary school where he studied German, arithmetic and religion.
Family moved to Gospić
Tesla family moved to Gospić where his father worked as parish priest; Nikola completed primary school and middle school there.
Entered Higher Real Gymnasium, Karlovac
Moved to Karlovac to attend high school; developed interest in physics after professor's demonstrations.
Graduated gymnasium and cholera illness
Finished a four-year high-school term in three years; contracted cholera and was bedridden for nine months.
Enrolled at Graz University of Technology
Received Military Frontier scholarship and enrolled at the Imperial-Royal Technical College in Graz to study engineering.
Left Graz without degree
Stopped attending and left the Polytechnic at Graz in December 1878; did not receive a degree.
Death of father Milutin Tesla
Nikola Tesla's father, Milutin Tesla (Orthodox priest), died.
Attempted studies at Charles-Ferdinand University (Prague)
Arrived too late to enroll formally; audited philosophy lectures but did not matriculate.
Worked at Budapest Telephone Exchange
Moved to Budapest and worked under Tivadar Puskás; became chief electrician once exchange became functional and improved telephone equipment.
Joined Continental Edison Company in Paris
Worked for the Société Electrique Edison in Ivry-sur-Seine installing incandescent lighting and improved dynamos and motors.
Constructed first induction motor prototype (Strasbourg)
While assigned in Strasbourg, built an early induction motor design (first prototype of AC motor).
Left Edison Machine Works
Quit Edison after about six months amid disputes over pay/bonuses and project disagreements.
Emigrated to United States; joined Edison Machine Works
Arrived in New York in June 1884 and began work for Edison Machine Works troubleshooting and improving generators.
First U.S. patents (improved DC generator); system installed in Rahway, NJ
Worked through 1885 on patents including improved DC generator and installed a system in Rahway, New Jersey.
Founded Tesla Electric Light & Manufacturing Company (investor-backed)
Met patent attorney Lemuel W. Serrell and investors Robert Lane and Benjamin Vail who financed an arc-lighting manufacturing and utility company in Tesla's name.
Company investors abandon manufacturing; Tesla left penniless
Investors reorganized to run only an electric utility, abandoned Tesla's manufacturing plans and retained the patents, leaving Tesla financially ruined.
Founded Tesla Electric Company with Brown & Peck
Alfred S. Brown and Charles F. Peck agreed to back Tesla, form Tesla Electric Company and set up a lab at 89 Liberty Street; profit-sharing agreement for patents (1/3 each).
Demonstrated AC induction motor to AIEE
Public demonstration of his induction motor and rotating magnetic field to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Licensed polyphase motor patents to Westinghouse
Brown and Peck negotiated licensing with George Westinghouse for Tesla's polyphase induction motor and transformer designs: $60,000 in cash and stock plus $2.50 per AC horsepower royalty; Tesla also hired as consultant at $2,000/month.
Moved to larger Manhattan labs (series of addresses 1889–1902)
Left Liberty Street lab and worked from several New York laboratories including 175 Grand St (1889–1892), South Fifth Avenue (1892–1895), and East Houston St (1895–1902).
Attendance at 1889 Exposition Universelle; began work that produced the Tesla coil
Learned of Hertz's work and developed the 'oscillating transformer' (later called the Tesla coil) to produce high-frequency, high-voltage currents.
Vice-president of American Institute of Electrical Engineers
Served as vice-president of the AIEE from 1892 to 1894 (note: elected in 1891/served 1892–1894).
Became naturalized U.S. citizen; patented Tesla coil
On 30 July 1891 Tesla became a U.S. citizen; in same year he patented the Tesla coil and began public high-frequency demonstrations.
Presented at World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago)
Westinghouse asked Tesla to participate in the 1893 Columbian Exposition; Tesla demonstrations of polyphase AC, induction motors and wireless lighting helped popularize AC systems.
Advised on Niagara Falls power scheme
Consulted by Edward Dean Adams; his recommendation helped lead to Westinghouse winning contract to build two-phase AC generating system at Niagara Falls (power to Buffalo by 1896).
Awarded Elliott Cresson Medal; X‑ray experiments
Continued work on 'radiant energy' and early X-ray imaging; awarded the Elliott Cresson Medal in 1894 (one of several honors in the 1890s).
Nikola Tesla Company founded (Adams involvement)
Edward Dean Adams and others helped found the Nikola Tesla Company in 1895 to fund, develop and market Tesla's patents and inventions.
South Fifth Avenue lab fire
Fire destroyed Tesla's South Fifth Avenue laboratory, including notes, models and demonstration pieces (setback to research).
Niagara Falls hydroelectric plant begins operation
First large Niagara Falls generator based on polyphase AC began operation; power transmitted to Buffalo—landmark for AC electrification.
Demonstrated radio-controlled boat at Madison Square Garden
Public demonstration of a radio-controlled 'telautomaton' boat (one of the first wireless remote-control demonstrations); attempted to interest the US military.
Established Colorado Springs experimental station
Set up large experimental station in Colorado Springs to research high-voltage, high-frequency power and wireless transmission; produced artificial lightning with discharges up to 135 feet (41 m).
John Jacob Astor IV invested in Nikola Tesla Company
Convincing Astor to invest $100,000 to become majority shareholder to fund experiments in Colorado Springs.
Published 'The Problem of Increasing Human Energy' in The Century Magazine
Featured a long article describing Tesla's ideas including wireless power and prospects for human energy expansion; more philosophical than technical.
Received $150,000 from J. P. Morgan for Wardenclyffe project
Obtained $150,000 capital from financier J. Pierpont Morgan in return for 51% of generated wireless patents; began planning Wardenclyffe Tower on Long Island.
Marconi's transatlantic wireless success overshadowed Tesla
Marconi transmitted the letter 'S' from England to Newfoundland (Dec 1901), undermining Tesla's race to wireless communication firsts.
Moved lab operations to Wardenclyffe
In June 1902 Tesla moved his lab operations from Houston Street to the Wardenclyffe facility on Long Island.
J.P. Morgan refused further funding; Wardenclyffe project stalls
Morgan withdrew support; project stalled and was eventually abandoned amid financial problems and skepticism.
Demonstrated bladeless turbine (50th birthday)
On his 50th birthday Tesla demonstrated a 200 hp bladeless turbine; later tests (1910–1911) showed turbines tested at 100–5,000 hp in some contexts.
Opened office at 165 Broadway; attempted to raise funds
After Wardenclyffe's funding problems, Tesla opened offices at 165 Broadway in Manhattan to develop and market patents.
Financial decline and loss of Wardenclyffe lease
By the mid-1910s Tesla had spent most of his money; Wardenclyffe was sold and the tower later demolished (War-era scrap/1905–1917 sequence led to loss of assets).
Received AIEE Edison Medal
Awarded the Edison Medal (one of the most prestigious electrical engineering honors) recognizing his contributions.
Wardenclyffe Tower demolished / sold for scrap
The Wardenclyffe Tower facility was sold and the tower dismantled (during World War I era financial distress).
Last patent: VTOL biplane (U.S. Patent 1,655,114)
Received his final patent for a biplane design capable of vertical take-off and landing (apparatus for aerial transportation).
Featured on Time magazine cover; received congratulatory letters
On his 75th birthday Tesla received numerous letters from prominent scientists and was on the cover of Time.
Received John Scott Medal
Awarded the John Scott Medal (among later-life honors recognizing his inventions).
Received Orders of the White Eagle and White Lion
Received state honors late in life including Order of the White Eagle and Order of the White Lion (recognitions of merit).
Death in New York City (Hotel New Yorker)
Died alone in Room 3327 of the Hotel New Yorker on 7 January 1943; left behind unpaid bills and many unfulfilled projects.
Funeral and seizure of papers by Alien Property Custodian
Two days after his death FBI ordered seizure of his belongings; funeral took place and was attended by many and honored by scientists.
Tesla's ashes transferred to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Museum
In 1956 Tesla's ashes were transferred from the U.S. to the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade.
SI unit 'tesla' adopted
The General Conference on Weights and Measures named the SI unit for magnetic flux density the 'tesla' in his honor.
Resurgence of popular interest in Tesla
Starting in the 1990s there was a notable revival in public interest and popular-culture references to Tesla's life and ideas.
Tesla name adopted by electric car company (Tesla, Inc.)
Entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla Motors (now Tesla, Inc.) naming the company in honor of Nikola Tesla (company later became a major EV and energy firm).
Long-term cultural legacy: Time '100 Most Significant Figures in History'
Time magazine included Tesla in their list of 100 most significant figures in history (date unspecified in text; included in his posthumous recognition).
Key Achievement Ages
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