Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Dedicates State Marker for Philo T. Farnsworth

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Dedicates State Marker for Philo T. Farnsworth

Inventor of Electronic Television

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Philo T. Farnsworth's invention of electronic television was immortalized today by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Springfield Township Historical Society with a historical marker.

"Philo T. Farnsworth's groundbreaking work to develop the technology for television changed our lives and provided us with a great source of information and entertainment," said PHMC Chairman Wayne S. Spilove. "We are pleased to make sure his invention is properly recorded."

Farnsworth is acknowledged as the true inventor of electronic television and received a patent from the U.S. Patent Office in 1930 for his "television system." RCA radio engineer Vladimir Zworykin had filed an application for a television system in 1923, but Farnsworth's request was granted first. In 1935, the U.S. Patent Office awarded "priority of invention" to Farnsworth over Zworykin, forcing RCA to pay Farnsworth $1 million for the use of his patent.

Farnsworth set up television station W3XPF in Wyndmoor, where some of the first local, live television programs were broadcast. His patents ended in 1947 as television was becoming popular and he died in obscurity.

Farnsworth's achievements were also remembered on a postage stamp in 1983 and by the Inventors Hall of Fame, which inducted him a year after the stamp tribute. In 2000, Farnsworth was named one of Time magazine's "100 Greatest Scientists and Thinkers of the 20th Century."

The marker is located at 1260 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The text of the historical marker is:

PHILO T. FARNSWORTH
(1906-1971)

Inventor of electronic television, he led some of the first experiments in live local TV broadcasting in the late 1930s from his station W3XPF located on

this site. A pioneer in electronics, Farnsworth held many patents and was
inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame.

PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION 2006(R)

CONTACT: Jane Crawford
(717) 783-9882

Source: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

CONTACT: Jane Crawford, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
+1-717-783-9882

Web site: http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/

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