Palmer Lake Historical Society, May 15 – Author recounts life of Nikola Tesla

By Marlene Brown

At the May 15 meeting of the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS), the topic of the evening was Nikola Tesla and Why He Chose Colorado Springs by author and historian Patric Ryan, who moved to Colorado Springs seven years ago and has been researching Tesla. He is writing a book series and a play, Mark Twain and the War of Wizards, written about Tesla’s rivalry with Thomas Edison, narrated by Mark Twain, who happened to be one of Tesla’s good friends.

Ryan said that Tesla’s (1856-1943) family left Serbia under the Ottoman empire for Croatia, which was part of the Austrian Empire. Born at midnight on July 10, 1856 during a lightning and thunderstorm, the midwife declared, “He’ll be a child of the storm” and his mother responded “No, of light.”

While growing up, Tesla had several flashes of inspiration which led to many discoveries and inventions. He began to work on the alternating current (A/C) theory while studying engineering and physics at the university, and he worked at several electrical plants and power houses before becoming employed at the Edison Works in Ivry, a suburb of Paris. After unsuccessfully raising money to work on his A/C motor, he secured passage to New York. Two days after landing he was working for Thomas Edison at Edison Works. The next several years was spent working and troubleshooting for several companies, including Westinghouse, and developing his own inventions such as wireless transmission.

Ryan said Westinghouse won the electrical contract for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Tesla had an exhibit there demonstrating several of his inventions and was introduced as the “Wizard of Physics.” After the World’s Fair, he moved on to Colorado Springs to construct a wireless station for scientific research.

In 1899-1900 Tesla built his research station on Knob Hill, which was all prairie at the time, near where Pikes Peak Avenue would be (North Foote Avenue and Kiowa Street) between the School for the Deaf and the Blind (built in 1876) and the Union Printers Home (built in 1892). After nine months of experiments, Tesla was ready to increase power for his magnifying transmitter.

When he gave the signal to his assistant, Kolman Czito, to throw the switch, there was a rumble that grew to a roar that could be heard 15 miles away. There was total blackout by the El Paso Electric Co. in Colorado Springs. Tesla had short-circuited the generator, and the power station was on fire. They had a second back-up generator on-site. The electric company told Tesla it was up to him to fix the generator and they would bill him for the additional damage. Though it has been said that Tesla left Colorado Springs without paying the bill, Ryan showed PLHS a copy the “paid” invoice.

Ryan said Tesla went back to New York to continue his work and lived to be in his 80s. He appeared on the cover of Time in July 1931. Although many of his ideas would be dismissed, a hundred years later many of his inventions and discoveries are being used today, wireless telephone, x-ray, fluorescent lighting, and remote control, according to Wikipedia.

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PLHS will hold a Father’s Day Ice Cream Social on Sunday, June 15, 2-4 pm at the Palmer Lake Town Hall and Village Green. It is free and open to the public. Bring family and friends, lawn chairs, and blankets and enjoy music, ice cream, and pie. Tables will be set up inside the Town Hall. This event is sponsored by John Spidell of the Spidell Foundation. PLHS meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at 7 to 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) at the Town Hall, 28 Valley Crescent St. Free and open to the public. For more info regarding memberships and future programs, go to www.palmerdividehistory.org/events.

Marlene Brown can be contacted at marlenebrown@ocn.me.

Other Palmer Lake Historical Society articles

• Palmer Lake Historical Society, April 17 – Women of the Colorado gold rush era (5/3/2025)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, April 21 – General Palmer’s life explored (4/5/2025)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, Jan. 16 – 2024 events recalled (2/1/2025)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, Dec. 19 – Palmer Lake holds 91st annual Yule Log Hunt (1/4/2025)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, Nov. 21 – Life of town hero explored (12/5/2024)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, Oct. 17 – How the star and Town Hall became historic places (11/2/2024)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, Sep. 19 – Author focuses on Old West (10/5/2024)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, June 6 – Book launch (7/6/2024)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, May 18 – Colorado’s Rosie the Riveter (6/1/2024)
• Palmer Lake Historical Society, April 18 – Trolley cars, past and future (5/4/2024)