-
Coal Production
Commercial production of coal begins in the U.S near Richmond, Virginia. -
Ben Franklin discovers Electricity
Benjamin Franklin proved his theory that static electricity and lightning were the same thing. He believed that electricity could be harnessed from lightning so that everyone could use it -
Street Lights powered by fuel made from coal
In Baltimore, Maryland, street lights are lit with gas made from coal. This is the first city in the country to do so. -
Edwin Drake drills for oil
Edwin Drake first drills for oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania. His findings are collected in an old bathtub. -
Thomas Edison's Lightbulb
Contrary to popular belief, Thomas Edison did not "invent" the lightbulb, but rather improved upon the 50-year-old idea. Edison's eventual achievement was inventing not just an incandescent electric light, but also an electric lighting system that contained all the elements necessary to make the incandescent light practical, safe, and economical. -
Thomas Edison starts power station
Along with improving the light bulb, Thomas Edison started the first coal-powered commercial power station in New York City. It provided electricity for lighting homes within 1 square mile. -
First Hydroelectric Power Station
The world's first hydroelectric power station opens in Wisconsin. producing enough electricity to supply three buildings -
Model T Ford introduced
Henry Ford introduced the first successful car that could be purchased for $825. It could run on gasoline or on ethanol. -
Oil discovered in Signal Hill, CA
Discoverd by Shell. This oil field is one of the most prolific in US history -
Hoover Dam
Originally called Boulder Dam, the construction began in 1931. This dam controls floods, provides irrigation water, and, most importantly, produces hydroelectric power (approximately 4.2 billion kWh a year).
