Wiktor Wise
The invention of the first electric street light marked a significant turning point in the history of street lighting, paving the way for the widespread adoption of electric street lighting that we see today. The first electric street lights were invented in the 19th century, with the first electric street lighting system installed in Paris, France, in 1878. Since then, street lighting technology has continued to evolve, with new lighting sources such as high-intensity discharge lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) replacing older technologies. This article will explore the history of the electric street light, the key inventors, and the impact it has had on urban spaces.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inventor of the first electric street light | Sir Joseph Swan |
| Inventor's country | England |
| Date of invention | 1879 |
| Street first lit by the electric street light | Mosley Street, Newcastle |
| First city in the United States to demonstrate electric lighting | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Date of demonstration in Cleveland, Ohio | 29 April 1879 |
| Inventor of the incandescent light bulb | Thomas Edison |
| Date of invention of the incandescent light bulb | 1879 |
| First city to use electric street lights | Paris, France |
| Date of installation of electric street lights in Paris | 30 May 1878 |
| Inventor of the arc lamp | French physicist Georges Claude |
| First town in the USA to use electric street lights | Wabash, Indiana |
| Year Wabash, Indiana installed electric street lights | 1880 |
| Inventor of the first solar cell | Charles Fritts |
| Year of invention of the first solar cell | 1883 |
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What You'll Learn
Sir Joseph Swan invented the first incandescent light bulb in England
The first electric street light was invented in the 19th century, marking a significant turning point in the history of street lighting. This invention paved the way for the widespread adoption of electric street lighting that we still see today.
Swan's early light bulbs used a vacuum lamp design, which was a solution to the problem of incandescent electric lighting. However, the prototype didn't work well for everyday use due to the inefficiency of vacuum pumps at the time. The design issue was eventually addressed by Thomas Edison, who realized that a thin filament with high electrical resistance would make the lamp more practical as it would require less current to make it glow.
Despite Thomas Edison being widely credited as the inventor of the lightbulb, it was Swan's invention of the incandescent light bulb that played a significant role in the development of street lighting. In December 1880, Swan personally supervised the installation of his new incandescent lamp in the first private residence outside of his own home. This was at the home of his friend, Sir William Armstrong, in Cragside, Northumberland.
Swan went on to form "The Swan Electric Light Company Ltd" and established the first commercial manufacture of incandescent lightbulbs, with his company supplying about 1,200 incandescent lamps to The Savoy theatre in London, making it the first public building in the world lit entirely by electricity.
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Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in the US
Thomas Alva Edison, born in Ohio on 11 February 1847, invented the incandescent light bulb in the US. He was one of the most well-known inventors of all time and spent most of his time experimenting in the laboratory he set up in his family's basement in Michigan.
Edison's work with light bulbs was a spark of brilliance on the timeline of invention. He did not invent the first light bulb ever crafted, but his incandescent light bulb was a significant improvement over previous lighting systems. Before the introduction of electric lighting in the 19th century, cities used torches and oil lamps for street lighting. The first electric street lights were installed in the United States in the 1880s, and by the turn of the 20th century, electric street lighting had become commonplace in many cities worldwide.
In 1878, Edison formed the Edison Electric Light Company in New York City. On 31 December 1879, he made the first public demonstration of his incandescent light bulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey. By January 1879, at his laboratory in Menlo Park, Edison had built his first high-resistance, incandescent electric light. It worked by passing electricity through a thin platinum filament in a glass vacuum bulb, which delayed the filament from melting. However, the lamp only burned for a few hours.
To improve the bulb, Edison tested thousands of other materials to use for the filament. He even considered tungsten, but the tools available at the time were insufficient for working with this metal. Eventually, he began carbonizing materials to be used for the filament, testing carbonized filaments of various plants. Edison's incandescent light bulb played a significant role in the widespread adoption of electric street lighting.
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Paris, France, was the first city to use electric street lights
Paris, France, was the first city in the world to use electric street lights. The first electric street lighting system was installed on the Place de la Concorde in Paris in 1878. The system was designed by the French physicist Georges Claude, who used his newly invented arc lamp to light the street. Arc lamps were a significant improvement over previous electric lighting systems, producing a much brighter and more reliable light.
The adoption of electric street lights in Paris marked a pivotal moment in the history of street lighting. The success of the Paris system inspired other cities worldwide to follow suit. Within a few decades, electric street lighting had become widespread in many urban areas. This transformation was underpinned by key inventions, such as the incandescent light bulb by Thomas Edison in 1879, which played a pivotal role in the widespread adoption of electric street lighting.
Paris has a long history of innovation in street lighting. The city first started lining its streets with lights in the 17th century during the reign of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. These early street lights consisted of tallow candles housed in iron-framed glass boxes and hung from ropes stretched across the streets. Over time, these candle lanterns were replaced by oil lamps, which, in turn, were superseded by gas lighting in the 1840s.
The introduction of electric street lighting in Paris in the mid-19th century marked a significant departure from traditional illumination methods. The first electric street lights were bright arc lamps mounted on very high poles, casting a harsh light and creating deep shadows. This new form of lighting not only improved visibility but also transformed the cityscape, influencing how people experienced the urban environment after dark.
The evolution of street lighting in Paris reflects broader trends in the history of street lighting globally. Over time, the development of new lighting technologies, such as high-intensity discharge lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), has replaced older methods, leading to increased energy efficiency and sustainability in street lighting. Today, Paris is known as the "City of Light", a testament to its pioneering role in illuminating urban spaces.
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Arc lamps were first used in the 1870s and 1880s
In the United States, efforts to produce arc lamps commercially after 1850 were hindered by the lack of a constant electricity supply. Electrical engineers then focused on improving Faraday's dynamo, with notable contributions from William Edwards Staite and Charles F. Brush. By the 1870s, arc lamps like the Yablochkov candle gained popularity, and in 1877, Brush's dynamo system outperformed others in a comparative test conducted by the Franklin Institute.
On March 31, 1880, Wabash, Indiana became the "first town in the world generally lighted by electricity" using Brush arc lights. This event showcased the power of electric lighting, as an eyewitness reported being able to read a newspaper from one street away and the headlines from two blocks away. The success of the Wabash installation sparked demand for the Brush street lighting system, leading to a demonstration in New York City in 1880, where 23 arc lamps illuminated Broadway.
Arc lamps were also used in Paris, France, in 1878, when the first electric street lighting system was installed on the Place de la Concorde. Designed by French physicist Georges Claude, this system employed his newly invented arc lamp, further contributing to the adoption of electric lighting worldwide.
The 1880s saw significant advancements in arc lamp technology. František Křižík invented a mechanism for automatic electrode adjustment, increasing the lifespan of arc lamps to around 100 hours. Flame arc lamps were introduced, incorporating metal salts to increase light output and produce different colours. The arc-lighting industry in the US became highly competitive, with Charles F. Brush facing competition from the team of Elihu Thomson and Edwin J. Houston, who formed the Thomson-Houston Electric Company.
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Gas lighting was invented in the late 18th century
The evolution of street lighting has come a long way, from the early days of torches and oil lamps to the widespread adoption of electric street lighting that we see today. The first electric street light was invented in the 19th century by Sir Joseph Swan in England, followed by Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb in the United States in 1879. However, before the advent of electric lighting, gas lighting played a crucial role in illuminating streets and cities.
Gas lighting, the production of artificial light from the combustion of fuel gas, was invented in the late 18th century. Prior to this, early lighting fuels consisted of olive oil, beeswax, fish oil, whale oil, sesame oil, nut oil, and other similar substances. Whale oil, in particular, was widely used for lighting in European cities like London through the early 19th century. The ancient Chinese also used natural gas for lighting and heating in their homes, with records dating back 1,700 years.
One of the pioneers of gas lighting was William Murdoch (or Murdock), a Scottish engineer and inventor. In the 1790s, Murdoch began experimenting with gas derived from coal. In 1792, he successfully demonstrated gas lighting in his home, delivering the gas through 70 feet of pipe. This was a significant development, as most lighting at the time came from candles and oil lamps. By the early 1800s, gas lighting had made its way to public spaces in several European cities, with London becoming the first city to use "coal gas" for gas lights in 1807.
The use of gas lighting continued to spread, and by the early 20th century, most cities in North America and Europe had gaslit streets. However, the advent of electric lighting, marked by Edison's incandescent light bulb, began to replace gas lighting as the preferred option. The new electric systems offered better voltage control, safer design, and reduced reliance on natural resources. As a result, by the 20th century, gas lighting had been almost entirely superseded by electric lighting.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electric street light was invented by Sir Joseph Swan in England in 1879.
The first city to use electric street lights was Paris, France, in 1878.
The first electric street lights used arc lamps, also known as "electric candles" or "Yablochkov candles", invented by Russian Pavel Yablochkov in 1875.
Arc lamps emitted an intense and harsh light, which was useful for industrial sites but uncomfortable for ordinary city streets. They also had a short lifespan and required frequent maintenance due to the swift burning of carbon electrodes.
Incandescent light bulbs, invented by Thomas Edison in 1879, replaced arc lamps in street lighting. These bulbs provided a cheaper, brighter, and more reliable light source.
