THOMAS EDISON, Milan, Ohio
Edison's inventions—he had almost 1,100 patents in his name—changed the way people all over the world lived. The incandescent lightbulb, the phonograph, and an early motion picture camera are just a few of the inventions by "The Wizard of Menlo Park," the New Jersey town where he lived as an adult. Along with family photos, the Edison Birthplace Museum in Ohio displays some of his zanier creations, including an electric pen for cutting stencils and a talking doll that was deemed too creepy for mass production. 9 Edison Dr., 419/499-2135, tomedison.org, $5.

WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN, Lancaster, Ohio
The Union general's scorched-earth tactics—which were evident during his march on Atlanta and the capture of Savannah—helped clinch total victory for the North during the Civil War and paved the way for President Lincoln's reelection. After the war, Sherman was promoted to lieutenant general and then to commanding general. He finally retired in 1884, but not before giving his oft-quoted "War is hell" speech to a graduating class of the Michigan Military Academy. Inside his birthplace, now the Sherman House Museum, one bedroom has been reconstructed to look like his Civil War field tent, with a map case, lap desk, and footlocker. 137 E. Main St., 740/687-5891, shermanhouse.org, $6.