Science Spotlights

Granville Woods

Granville T. Woods was born on April 23, 1856, in Columbus, OH. He dedicated his life to developing a variety of electrical inventions. Known to some as the 'Black Edison', he received over sixty patents in his lifetime. His most noted invention was a communication system that let the engineer of a train know their proximity to other trains, cutting down on train collisions. Largely self-educated Woods only received three years of formal schooling. After two apprenticeships Woods worked as a locomotive engineer and later founded Woods Electrical Company in 1884.