Wiktor Wise
Cincinnati, Ohio, adopted electricity gradually over five decades. The first mentions of electric lights in the city were related to special events and venues. In 1873, the city's Industrial Exposition featured a bright electric torch, and in 1878, the Highland House experimented with electric illumination. The introduction of electricity in Cincinnati was not without hesitation and controversy due to the inherent dangers associated with it. By the late 19th century, there were nearly a dozen competing electric companies in the city, and faulty wiring had become a growing hazard. Despite the cautious adoption, Cincinnati eventually embraced electrification, with companies like the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company solidifying their monopoly on power provision by the early 20th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First mentions of electric lights | 1873 |
| First electric lights | 1878 |
| First electric company | Cincinnati Edison Company |
| First wind-powered electric generator in Ohio | Cleveland, 1887 |
| First municipal-run mausoleum | Cleveland |
| First police car | Akron |
| First offshore oil drilling platform | N/A |
| First municipal wind turbines | Bowling Green |
| First offshore wind facility in the Great Lakes | Lake Erie |
| Number of public electric vehicle charging locations in August 2024 | 1,650 |
| Ohio's total summer capacity in 2023 | 29,104 MW |
| Net generation in 2023 | 133,223 GWh |
| Electrical energy generation mix in 2024 | 59.8% natural gas, 21.1% coal, 12.6% nuclear, 2.8% solar, 2% wind, 0.7% petroleum and petroleum coke, 0.5% other gases, 0.4% hydroelectric, and 0.2% biomass |
| Number of power plants that were coal-fired in 2022 | 5 |
| Number of nuclear power plants in 2023 | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
Cincinnati's first electric lights were for special events
Cincinnati, Ohio, adopted electricity gradually over five decades. The city's first mentions of electric lights involved special events and unique venues.
The 1873 Industrial Exposition featured a bright electric torch illuminating Elm Street outside the Exposition Buildings. Five years later, in 1878, the Highland House atop Mt. Adams experimented with electric illumination. The Daily Gazette praised the "pure white light" that made "the bar gaslights within sight appear dull and yellow".
Despite these initial forays into electric lighting, Cincinnati was hesitant to fully embrace this new technology. The city had witnessed the dangers of electricity firsthand, with incidents like the tragic death of Aaron Lyman, who was electrocuted by a poorly insulated wire on Vine Street in 1895.
In 1898, St. Francis Xavier Church downtown made headlines by installing 216 electric lights on its altar, sparking controversy over substituting electricity for candlepower. This hodgepodge of electric light installations and competing electric companies in Cincinnati led to faulty wiring and growing safety concerns.
By 1900, the electrical free-for-all needed to end, and the newly formed Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company began consolidating power. However, even in 1918, customers still required lessons in using electricity safely.
While Cincinnati cautiously embraced electricity, Ohio as a state has a rich history in the energy sector. It was home to Thomas Edison, widely regarded as a pioneer in energy generation and the practical electric light bulb. Additionally, Charles F. Brush, an Ohio native, invented the world's first wind-powered electric generator in Cleveland in 1887.
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Electric lights in churches were controversial
Cincinnati, Ohio, adopted electricity gradually over five decades, with the first mentions of electric lights involving special events and venues. The city's 1873 Industrial Exposition featured a bright electric torch, and in 1878, the Highland House atop Mt. Adams experimented with electric illumination. However, the adoption of electricity in Cincinnati was cautious and dangerous due to the inherent dangers of the technology. Electric lights were controversial in churches as well, with religious authorities and practitioners discussing acceptable and unacceptable uses of electricity.
In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the Catholic Church had strict regulations regarding lighting during liturgy and rituals, forbidding the use of gas and electricity. Only specific types of candles and lamps were permitted, such as vegetable wax, fine stearin, paraffin, beeswax, and olive oil. These regulations were reiterated in 1903, allowing electricity for functional purposes outside the altars but banning dramatic displays.
Despite the initial resistance, electricity gradually found acceptance within the Church. There is evidence of electric lights being adopted in urban and rural churches since the mid- to late 1880s, with the Basilica of El Escorial monastery in Madrid being one example. In 1898, St. Francis Xavier Church in downtown Cincinnati installed 216 electric lights on its altar, sparking controversy as the idea of substituting electricity for candlelight was contentious.
The Spanish clergy were divided, with some bishops opposing the introduction of electric lights in churches despite the economic and safety advantages. Initially, electric lights were hidden behind false candles or indirect lighting fixtures. However, by the 1910s, electricity had made its way into the once-forbidden territory of the altar and religious images.
Today, electric lighting in churches has become commonplace, with various fixtures and technologies providing even and controlled illumination. While some may prefer the simplicity of traditional lighting, electric lighting allows for flexibility and the ability to create different atmospheres to suit the needs of the congregation. The use of lighting in churches continues to evolve, with modern lighting trends and effects playing a role in worship experiences.
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Electric light companies competed, leading to faulty wiring
Cincinnati's first encounters with electricity were in the 1870s, with the city gradually adopting electricity over five decades. The first mentions of electric lights in Cincinnati were in relation to special events, such as the 1873 Industrial Exposition, which featured a bright electric torch. In 1878, the Highland House atop Mt. Adams experimented with electric illumination, prompting a glowing review in The Daily Gazette. However, the city's relationship with electricity was cautious and dangerous, with many hesitating to adopt the new technology due to its inherent dangers.
As Cincinnati transitioned to electric lighting, the competition between electric light companies led to issues with faulty wiring. In the late 19th century, there were nearly a dozen companies offering electrical services in the city, each using their own proprietary methods and machinery that were incompatible with competitors. This hodgepodge of installation and management practices sparked controversy and raised concerns about safety. The electric light companies competed fiercely for customers, which sometimes resulted in unsafe practices and shoddy workmanship.
One notable incident involving faulty wiring occurred in 1895 when Aaron Lyman, an employee of the Cincinnati Electric Light Company, was stringing wire on Vine Street between Ninth and Court. He accidentally touched a poorly insulated wire and was electrocuted, meeting a tragic and gruesome end within view of approximately 100 onlookers. This incident highlighted the dangers of electricity and the potential consequences of faulty wiring.
Another consequence of the competing electric companies was the variety of incompatible systems in place across the city. Each company used different methods and machinery, resulting in a disjointed and inconsistent electrical supply. This situation was not unique to Cincinnati, as other cities across the United States also experienced similar growing pains during the introduction of electricity. It was not until the creation of a monopoly in 1901, with the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company, that these issues began to be addressed.
The Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company, led by General Andrew Hickenlooper, embarked on a consolidation effort, acquiring previous competitors of all sizes. This included the Cincinnati Edison Company, valued at over $7 million, and the Brush Electric Light Company, valued at just over $14,000. With this monopoly in place, the company worked to rectify the unsafe wiring and electrical nightmares left behind by the competing companies. Well into the 1920s, the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company was still dealing with the aftermath of the competitive era, addressing electrical fires caused by unsafe wiring installed by incompetent electricians.
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Electricity was dangerous, with reports of fatalities
Cincinnati's first encounters with electricity were in the 1870s, and the city's relationship with this new technology was cautious and dangerous. Over the following five decades, Cincinnati adopted electricity gradually, and often hesitantly, due to the inherent dangers of this new power source.
The city's first mentions of electric lights were in 1873, when the Industrial Exposition featured a bright electric torch illuminating Elm Street. In 1878, the Highland House atop Mt. Adams experimented with electric illumination, prompting a review in The Daily Gazette, which described how the electric light "flooded the place with a pure white light". However, despite the impressive displays of electric lighting, there was much hesitation among the public due to safety concerns.
The dangers of electricity were well-known in Cincinnati, with reports of fatalities and fires. In 1895, Aaron Lyman, an employee of the Cincinnati Electric Light Company, caught hold of a poorly insulated wire and was electrocuted in front of 100 spectators. The incident was described in gruesome detail by The Post:
> "Blue tongues of flame, large in some places and minute in others, spit and darted from all over his body. From the fingertips rolled green balls that danced from wire to wire and finally spent their force and disappeared. From his eyes darted fiery flames, while every hair on his head was the receptacle of the deadly fluid that was rapidly destroying life."
Michael Landrigan, a lineman for the Brush Electric Light Company, narrowly escaped a similar fate in 1889. He had been cleaning and trimming an electric arc lamp in front of Havlin's Theater on Central Avenue. With nearly a dozen competing electric companies in Cincinnati, faulty wiring and unsafe installations were a growing hazard. The Enquirer, in 1889, warned: "burying the power lines before the power lines bury you".
By 1900, it was clear that the electrical free-for-all in Cincinnati had to end. The situation was dangerous, and the hodgepodge of competing companies was problematic. The Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company began buying up competitors, and by May 1901, it had secured a monopoly on providing power to residences.
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Ohio's energy mix today
Coal is also a substantial component of Ohio's energy mix, with the state being the tenth-largest coal-consuming state in the nation in 2022. Notably, Ohio consumed nine times more coal than it produced.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are also part of Ohio's energy mix, although they currently contribute single-digit percentages. Interestingly, Cleveland, Ohio, is known for being the first city to be lit by electricity, powered by the world's first wind-powered electric generator designed by Charles F. Brush in 1887.
Nuclear power accounts for 12% of Ohio's energy mix, and the state is home to several notable energy companies, including American Electric Power, FirstEnergy, and American Hydrogen Corporation.
Ohio is also a significant producer and consumer of electricity, ranking as the eighth-largest electricity producer and fourth in electricity sales nationwide in 2023.
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Frequently asked questions
Cincinnati, Ohio, first got electricity in the late 1800s. The city gradually adopted electricity over five decades, with the first mentions of electric lights involving special events and venues.
The first instance of electricity in Cincinnati was in 1873 when a bright electric torch illuminated Elm Street during the city's Industrial Exposition.
The public perception of electricity in Cincinnati in the late 1800s was mixed. While some saw it as progress, others hesitated to adopt it due to its inherent dangers and the controversy surrounding the replacement of candle-power and gaslights.
Some early uses of electricity in Cincinnati included experimental electric illumination in venues such as the Highland House atop Mt. Adams in 1878 and the installation of 216 electric lights in St. Francis Xavier Church in 1898.
