Otis Singleton
The 1920s saw a revolution in communications and technology. While electricity had been available in some urban areas since the late 1800s, it was during the 1920s that most city and town dwellers gained access to electric lights and appliances, with the exception of the very poor. In contrast, rural electrification proceeded at a much slower pace due to higher costs and lower population density, with fewer than 100,000 of the 6.5 million farms in the United States having electricity in 1920. This decade marked the beginning of widespread adoption of technologies such as radios, phonographs, and electric stoves, which transformed daily life for those with access to them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity in cities | Most city and town dwellers, except the very poor, had access to electric lights and appliances, and running water. |
| Electricity in rural areas | Rural electrification proceeded at a much slower pace than in cities. In 1920, there were 6.5 million farms in the US, but fewer than 100,000 were on the power grid. |
| Common electrical appliances | Radios, floor lamps, fans, record players, electric stoves and ovens. Refrigerators were a luxury but were becoming more common. |
| Light fixtures | Electric and gas lighting elements were used together. |
| Rural electrification after the 1920s | During the Great Depression, communities banded together to bring electricity to rural areas. The Rural Electrification Administration (REA), established in 1932, provided loans to electric cooperatives to bring electricity to rural communities. |
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What You'll Learn
- Rural areas were slow to electrify due to high costs and low customer density
- Most city and town dwellers had access to electricity, except the poor
- Radios were becoming popular, but were not yet in every household
- Electric stoves and ovens were becoming more common
- Electric companies charged rural customers up to twice as much as city dwellers
Rural areas were slow to electrify due to high costs and low customer density
By the 1920s, electricity was widely available in American cities, and most city and town dwellers had access to electric lights and appliances. However, rural areas lagged behind in electrification due to high costs and low customer density.
Rural areas were less densely populated than cities, resulting in higher costs of electrification per customer. Power companies found it more profitable to electrify cities and towns, where there were more customers in close proximity. In contrast, rural power lines had to be sturdier and cover longer distances, requiring additional expenses for land clearing and infrastructure. The low customer density in rural areas made it challenging for power companies to recoup their upfront investment, leading them to prioritize urban electrification.
The higher costs of electricity in rural areas were reflected in the bills of those who did have access. Rural customers often paid significantly more than their urban counterparts for electricity. This disparity further discouraged the expansion of electrification into rural communities, as utilities were uncertain about the profitability of serving these areas.
The lack of competition in the power market before the 1920s also contributed to the slow electrification of rural areas. Without competition, private utilities had little incentive to extend their services to rural customers. It was only in the 1920s, when the power market became more competitive, that utilities began to actively claim territory and customers.
It wasn't that farmers had no use for electricity. On the contrary, the Red Wing experiment in Minnesota in 1923, where a handful of farms were provided with electricity and electric appliances, demonstrated significant increases in productivity and happiness. However, the slow progress of electrification in rural areas continued due to the economic challenges of the time. The 1920s saw a decline in rural land values and a drop in prices for agricultural produce, making it difficult for farmers to afford the expenses associated with electrification.
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Most city and town dwellers had access to electricity, except the poor
The 1920s saw a revolution in communications, with the telephone, phonograph, radio, and movies becoming ubiquitous parts of daily life. The radio, in particular, went from being almost non-existent at the beginning of the decade to a pervasive feature of American life. This decade also witnessed the emergence of broadcast networks, marking the birth of mass media.
During this time, most residents of cities and towns had access to electricity, except for the very poor. The first electrified building in the City of Wausau, for instance, was the downtown Bee Hive Store in 1886, with electricity soon spreading to homes. By the 1920s, most urban dwellers had access to electric lights and appliances, as well as running water. Power companies found it more profitable to electrify cities and towns due to the higher population density and easier installation processes compared to rural areas.
However, there were still some urban areas without electricity, particularly those inhabited by the poor. In Pittsburgh, for instance, the poorer sections of the city only gained access to electricity in the 1920s, while the middle-class and more expensive homes had electric lights as early as the 1890s. This disparity also existed in England, where some cities had electricity as early as the late 19th century, but there are accounts of an electrician putting electrics into a church on the Isle of Wight in the 1920s.
The situation in rural areas was quite different, with electrification proceeding at a much slower pace. In 1920, there were approximately 6.5 million farms in the United States, but less than 100,000 were connected to the power grid. Farms located near main roads or larger electricity users, such as cheese factories, had better access to electricity by connecting to existing lines if they could afford it. However, those located far from existing lines had limited options, often relying on gasoline-fueled or wind-powered "light plants." The higher costs of electrifying rural areas and the lower population density made it less attractive for power companies to expand their services beyond cities.
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Radios were becoming popular, but were not yet in every household
By the 1920s, electricity had become a part of daily life for most city and town dwellers in America, except for the very poor. However, the same could not be said for rural areas. In 1920, there were 6.5 million farms in the United States, but fewer than 100,000 had electricity. The costs of electricity for rural customers were often significantly higher than for urban customers, and the sparsely populated nature of these areas meant fewer customers and lower profitability for power companies.
The 1920s saw a revolution in communications, with the radio at the forefront. Radio went from essentially non-existent at the beginning of the decade to a pervasive feature of American life. Radio stations, with their ability to offer diverse programming, enhanced a sense of community among diverse groups within the listening area. Each group could choose to listen to broadcasts that appealed to their interests and needs.
The rapid growth of listeners and programs, however, led to some chaos, with time slots for programs often overlapping and interfering with each other. The government initially hesitated to regulate the airwaves, but eventually set up the Federal Radio Commission in 1926, which was later organised with the Radio Act of 1927. This period saw the birth of broadcast networks, creating mass media.
Radio shows such as Amos 'n' Andy, which aired from 1926-1928, were so popular that movie theatres advertised that they would stop their films for the show. Radio was viewed as a public service by the listening public, the government, and the start-up radio corporations, and it was seldom seen as a vehicle for profit. While manufacturers of radio receivers profited, announcers, deejays, and stations worked on a non-profit basis.
Despite the immense popularity of radio, it had not yet reached every household in the 1920s, especially in rural areas where electrification was slower and more costly.
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Electric stoves and ovens were becoming more common
By the 1920s, electricity was becoming more common in cities and towns across the United States, with most city and town dwellers, except for the very poor, having access to electric lights and appliances. This was a significant shift from the previous decade, where electricity was primarily available only to businesses.
The 1920s also saw the rise in popularity of electric stoves and ovens, which were first introduced in the late 19th century. By the late 1920s, electric stoves were beginning to compete with gas stoves, which had largely replaced coal or wood-burning stoves as they were easier to use. Electric stoves became popular due to their ease of cleaning, lower cost, and faster cooking times compared to traditional stoves. They were also promoted as a more efficient and convenient option, with no ashes, dust, smoke, or odours associated with traditional fuel sources.
The design of electric stoves and ovens in the 1920s was more compact and modern compared to the bulky and sooty stoves of the past. These new electric stoves allowed for storage underneath, addressing the limited space available in kitchens. The ovens were smaller than those we use today, but they were adequate for cooking a roast, chicken, or casserole.
However, it is important to note that the electrification of rural areas lagged behind. In 1920, there were 6.5 million farms in the United States, but fewer than 100,000 had access to electricity. The higher costs of rural electrification and the lower population density made it less profitable for power companies to electrify these areas. As a result, rural residents often had to rely on alternative power sources, such as gasoline-fuelled or wind-powered "light plants".
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Electric companies charged rural customers up to twice as much as city dwellers
The 1920s saw a communications revolution, with the telephone, phonograph, radios, and movies becoming ubiquitous parts of daily life. By the 1920s, electricity had spread from businesses to homes, and most city and town dwellers had access to electric lights and appliances. However, rural electrification was lagging, and electric companies charged rural customers up to twice as much as city dwellers.
There were several reasons for this price discrepancy. Firstly, rural areas were more sparsely populated than cities, and utilities could not benefit from economies of scale. The lower population density in rural areas meant fewer customers and longer distances between them, resulting in higher costs per customer to cover the infrastructure needed to deliver electricity. Rural power lines had to be sturdier to withstand exposure to winds and harsh weather conditions, and the terrain was often challenging, requiring tree removal or trimming.
Additionally, utilities were hesitant to extend service to farms due to concerns about recouping upfront costs. The lack of competition in the power market before the 1920s also contributed to the slow expansion of electrification to rural areas. Private utilities operating in cities may have expected to expand their territory later, so they saw little incentive to invest in rural electrification early on. The creation of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) during the Great Depression helped address this issue by funding the construction of co-op-owned power sources when negotiations with utilities failed.
The higher costs of electricity in rural areas contributed to the increasing gap between the lifestyles of rural and urban residents in the 1920s. While cities were experiencing the "Roaring Twenties," farmers faced declining prices for their crops and milk, decreasing land values, and the impacts of drought. These economic challenges further slowed the progress of rural electrification. By 1930, about 25% of Wisconsin farms had electricity, and it wasn't until after World War II that roughly half of America's farms had power.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, electricity was available in the 1920s, but its availability varied depending on location and socioeconomic status. Most city and town dwellers in the US had access to electricity by the 1920s, except for the very poor. In contrast, rural electrification proceeded at a much slower pace due to higher costs and lower population density.
The spread of electricity was influenced by economic factors, population density, and existing infrastructure. Electric companies charged higher rates for rural customers, and the sparsely populated nature of rural areas made it more challenging and costly to extend power lines. Additionally, cities and towns were more profitable to electrify, so power companies prioritized those areas.
Radios became increasingly popular in the 1920s, and broadcast networks were born during this decade, creating mass media. Other electrical appliances available in the 1920s included floor lamps, fans, electric stoves, and ovens. Refrigerators were still a luxury but were becoming more accessible.
Electricity had significant benefits for farmers in the 1920s, increasing productivity and reducing losses. Electric milking parlors, refrigerated storage tanks, heat lamps, and watering systems improved dairy and poultry farming. However, due to the higher costs of rural electrification, only a small fraction of farms were on the power grid in the 1920s.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, communities banded together to bring electricity to rural areas. Franklin D. Roosevelt made rural electrification a part of his 1932 presidential campaign, and the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was established to provide loans and support to electric cooperatives. World War II interrupted these efforts, but they resumed after the war, and by the 1950s, farms had nearly caught up to cities in access to electricity.
