Rural Electrification
White Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
In 1936 seventy-five percent of Pennsylvania farms had no electric service. During the next five years, with Federal support, 14 consumer-owned cooperatives were formed in this State. Southwest Central Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, serving users in seven counties, was incorporated March 4, 1937.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In 1936, three of every four Pennsylvania farms still went dark at sundown, cut off from the electric grid that already lit the cities. Federal support during the New Deal changed that, spurring farmers to band together into consumer-owned cooperatives. One of them, the Southwest Central Rural Electric Cooperative, was incorporated here in 1937 to bring power to users across seven counties.
Why it matters
Rural electrification transformed daily life on the American farm and stands as one of the New Deal's most enduring achievements, closing the gap between rural and urban life.
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Related events
- · Rural Electrification Administration
Themes & tags
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