Students Generate Excitement for Edison Powerhouse

Ever wonder what it might be like to walk in the footsteps of Thomas Edison? Students from the Miller School of Albemarle’s Science and Engineering classes can do just that! Thanks to current remodeling, the school’s century-old powerhouse is now a practical place to learn about Thomas Edison’s design and his impact on the school. By installing his perfected version of the Dynamo, Edison made MSA one of the first electric-powered schools in the country.

Decommissioned since the 1950s, the powerhouse was used as a storage room by the school and served only as a reminder of the past– until now. Hoping to generate excitement for the powerhouse once more, the school asked Martin Horn to oversee its restoration. According to Project Manager Evan King, “They want this building to be useable space again. We repaired the windows, installed a new plybead ceiling, insulated the walls and put in a simple HVAC system. Our Superintendent, Brian Slone, and Carpenter, Harold Conley have been very hands-on. Both, have done a lot of the carpentry work themselves.” With most of the remodeling finished, the school plans to use the building as a hydroponic learning lab, with self-sustaining power for the grow lamps and hydroponic garden.

MSA’s Environmental Science teacher, Julie Hebert, and few student volunteers (pictured above) asked if they could help put finishing touches on the building. Our team was more than happy to provide some paint and trim work for the students to complete. It was truly rewarding to see MSA students take pride in their school’s historic past.