The History that Made Us
In today’s world where technology and information are just at our fingertips, it’s hard to imagine a time without electricity. It may also be surprising to know that prior to the 1930s, those that lived in the rural areas of the country rarely had access to electricity. Instead, lights were supplied for some homes using devices like the Delco plant, a system using a generator, batteries and lamps, while others used gas generators, but these would not provide enough power for the many appliances that have become a staple in modern homes.
Though plans had already been ventured to provide electric lines and service stations to rural America, what proved evident was a need to make the service more affordable. Thus, on May 11, 1935, an executive order was signed creating the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to “initiate, formulate, administer and supervise a program of approved projects with respect to the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy in rural areas.”
On June 26 the same year, the Whitley County Farm Bureau conducted an initial meeting to organize a rural electric cooperative. They called it the Whitley County Rural Electric Membership Corporation, and serving as its first incorporators were B.V. Widney, Harper K. Waugh, Ira W. Pontzius, Frank L. Goodrich, Ralph D. Wrigley, Mark V. Mowrey, A.P. Collier, George M. Gerdes, Walter Beers, Asa J. White, Merl Gump, Howard Kelsey, Fred Hoppas, Homer Ummel, Sylvester Rouch and Allen C. Crawford.
The next step was to gather support. By January 1936, 1,000 applications for membership had been secured, proving that community members were interested in investing in this new technology. Membership came at a cost of $5, certainly a significant investment for families to make in the 1930s.
Membership recruitment continued through the summer, and by September 26, 1936, the Whitley County REMC had secured its first loan from the REA which amounted to $416,000. It was enough to build 383 miles of power lines to serve 1,203 members. Construction would begin that November.
Jefferson Center School was the first to be energized, which took place January 4, 1937. The entire original line went into service October 22, 1937.
It would be fair to say that this new service marked a significant change in the way of life for rural residents. Nothing would be the same. Having electricity made it easier to complete chores around the farm because there was more lighting, and additional equipment meant farmers’ work could be completed more efficiently.
Perhaps the greatest changes came for the housewife. With electricity in the house, this meant new appliances that made everyday living much easier. In a newsletter published by REMC in March of 1940, a survey of REMC customers revealed the 10 most popular appliances – iron, radio, washing machine, toaster, vacuum, refrigerator, electric pumps, hotplate, cream separator and motors.
REMC’s business office was first located above the Farm Bureau Co-Op on the south side of the courthouse square. It relocated to 120 N. Main St. before moving to a spot on South Main Street. It moved into its own space at 115 S. Line Street once the building was completed in 1949. This remained home for REMC for several years until operations and the vehicle line-up necessitated more space. REMC then moved to Gateway Industrial Park in 1960.
Thank you to Rachal Hartman for her outstanding research and writing of the article and the Whitley County Historical Museum and Northeastern REMC for sharing photos from their collections.
The Architecture that Made Us
This architectural feature serves no functional purpose, but it does give this building some style.
This parapet gable is one of three gracing the roofline of the Whitley County Annex building located at 115 South Line Street.
Constructed circa 1960 in a modified Colonial/Federal Revival style, the parapet gable is a vestige of gable chimneys often found in colonial buildings. Being that there was no need for one masonry chimney by the 1960s, let alone three, these are purely decorative elements.
The stone parapet caps, the roundel window with keystones, and the broad bay window add further character to this building.
Thank you to Nathan Bilger for providing the recent photos and valuable insights into the architectural history.
