About The Oldest Lighting In America
This brightly lit street corner is the first site in American history with public lighting
"Lighting" refers to the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting is not just about brightness but about how light is used to transform spaces, enhance visibility, create atmosphere, increase safety or convey messages in various artistic, practical, functional or scientific contexts.
Drinker's Alley (also known as Drinker's Court or Clifton's Alley) and Second Street, located in Philadelphia, PA is the site of the first and oldest public lighting in America. John Clifton (d. 1759), had placed the first street lamp in Philadelphia in front of his large, two-story brick house at the southeast corner of Clifton’s (Drinker’s) Alley and Second Street, below Race.
Shortly after in 1751, Philadelphia became the first city in America to provide its streets with public lighting. While John Clifton received credit for first showing Philadelphia the advantages of street lighting, Benjamin Franklin explained that he himself had devised the four-sided, ventilated lamp which stayed clean much longer than the closed globe used by Clifton and commonly seen in London.
The City Of Philadelphia defines it as America's first public lighting. National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) states Clifton's and Second Street as the first ever public lighting in American history.
Initially lit by oil lamps, this site is still lighted today, albeit by more advanced lighting technology. Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) currently powers up this historic street and Society Hill neighborhood.
Franklin's oil lamps were made of four flat panes of glass, with a funnel above to draw smoke and crevices below to let air in. This design was an improvement on the glass globes used in London, which would darken with soot and needed to be cleaned often.
Benjamin Franklin improved oil lamp design and introduced street lighting in the United States in the 1750s. His innovations included using flat glass panes, two woven wicks, and a design that captured heat to warm the oil and wick.
The introduction of public lighting not only helped to deter crime but also facilitated nighttime commerce and social activities, making the city more vibrant after dark. This development reflected the growing importance of urban infrastructure and public services in colonial America.
This first public street lighting in America set a precedent for other cities to follow in the years to come. Philadelphia's initiative was a significant step toward modern urban living and contributed to the city's reputation as a progressive hub during that period.
The timeline of American history lighting: Newport, RI had the first gas street lamp in 1805. The City of Baltimore, MD had the first publicly funded street lamp in 1817. Menlo Park, NJ is where Thomas Edison debuted the first electric light in 1879. Wabash, IN became the first town in the world to be generally lit by electricity in 1880. Roselle, NJ was the first village in the world to be lighted by Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb in 1883.
And Clifton's Alley and Second Street in Philadelphia, PA had the first ever public lighting in American history, in 1751. This historic street and area is still lit today, making it the site of the oldest lighting in America.