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NY Group Buys Tesla Property, Plans Science Center

A New York community group that raised $1.3 million in a six-week Internet crowd funding effort last year has purchased a laboratory once used by visionary scientist Nikola Tesla. Tesla was a rival of Thomas Edison who imagined a world of free electricity. He conducted experiments in the early 20th century at his laboratory in Shoreham, about 65 miles east of New York City.

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) -- A New York community group that raised $1.3 million in a six-week Internet crowd funding effort last year has purchased a laboratory once used by visionary scientist Nikola Tesla.

Jane Alcorn is president of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe on Long Island. Her group bought the Tesla lab and property last week for $850,000.

Tesla was a rival of Thomas Edison who imagined a world of free electricity. He conducted experiments in the early 20th century at his laboratory in Shoreham, about 65 miles east of New York City.

Volunteers had struggled for nearly two decades to acquire the property. They got a jolt of support last year when Seattle cartoonist Matthew Inman promoted the effort on his website, theoatmeal.com.

Within weeks, they had $1.3 million.

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