Answer: Cast-Molded Concrete Houses

Thomas Edison was involved in a wide range of endeavours, many of which are practically unknown today. In addition to his more recognized work involving electricity, sound, and film, Edison also contributed significantly to the concrete industry.

In the 1880s, Edison had a productive, but unprofitable, ore milling company. One of the by products of the ore extraction was huge amounts of waste sand which Edison found was particularly well suited for concrete production. Using technology from his ore company and all the waste sand, he jumped into the concrete business. True to his nature, Edison didn’t just make concrete, he invented all sorts of construction techniques and uses for it including the first re-usable molds for a cast-concrete home.

He was so enamored with the idea of using concrete in construction and domestic life that he even experimented with concrete furniture, pianos, and refrigerators. Although his concrete furniture never went into production, his concrete houses did and the techniques in concrete creation and casting he invented strongly influenced the development of the industry in the 20th century.