9) Nikola Tesla’s Childhood Home, Smiljan, Croatia
Although his birth place is not on America soil, Tesla’s contribution to American scientific technology is worthy of acknowledgement. Like many great minds throughout history, Tesla was born into a life of modest circumstances, raised by his Serbian parents in the small city of Smiljan, Croatia. The family homestead consisted of a small whitewashed house, a barn, and an Orthodox church where his father served as Minister. Unfortunately, the original structures were burned down during the Yugoslav wars, and later rebuilt by the Croatian government. 2006 was declared Croatia’s state mandated “Year of Nikola Tesla.” His birthplace was opened as a museum and visitors center on July 10 of that year. Its comprised of two parts of his life: his childhood country upbringing, and his achievements as an adult. It also has a multi-media center with a working exhibit of the magnetic field principle.
