The Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia showcases early electrical technologies, drawing inventors like Edison and Bell into the spotlight. 1876 Edison opens the Pearl Street Station in New York City, the first commercial power plant, powering the area with direct current (DC). 1882 Power begins to extend along railroads and telegraph lines, serving small communities, but rural areas remain largely without electricity. 1890s
1878
Thomas Edison establishes the Edison Electric Light Company to develop and commercialize electric lighting.
1886
William Stanley Jr., working with George Westinghouse, introduces the first practical power transformer, enabling long-distance transmission of alternating current (AC).
1929 The stock market crash devastates the U.S. economy, plunging rural farmers into financial despair.
1930s
The Dust Bowl intensifies challenges for farmers,
1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal establishes the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to provide loans and support for electrifying rural America.
highlighting their isolation and economic disadvantage due to a lack of electricity.
World War II accelerates the need for electrified farms to support increased agricultural production and wartime manufacturing. 1941 - 1945 The Rural Electrification Administration concludes its active role after 50 years, having successfully electrified rural America. 1985
1950s The rural electrification movement reaches most American farms,
transforming rural life and modernizing agriculture.
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