"Great White Way" Postcard

"Great White Way" Postcard

The need for electricity in El Paso started around 1900, when El Paso grew from a small adobe village to a thriving city. The construction of the railroad marked the change in 1881; before, all the businesses had been on the other side of the river in Ciudad Juarez. Electricity on a large scale was first used in transportation: The mule-drawn streetcar system was ended in 1900 and instead, electric cars were being used. Since then, electric streetcars did not only operate between El Paso and Juarez but routes were built in all directions; to Fort Bliss, Government Hill and to the Mesa Street route. In 1886, the first small direct generating plant had been established, providing current for a few street lights and stores. By 1890, the El Paso pioneer Zach T. White, had assumed command of the electrical energy business and had new generating equipment installed at Third and Chihuahua Streets. The use of incandescent lamps began in El Paso stores and homes. Since then, electric systems grew and a larger generating plant was built (since 1910s). It supplied power not only to El Paso, but also to Juarez. El Paso Electric Railway Company was the largest electric company at that time. The colored postcard shows one street in downtown El Paso, probably in the 1910s, fully equipped with electric street lights and wires for the streetcars.

Área: Central / Downtown

Colección: Stansel Postcard Collection

Fuente: University of Texas at El Paso Library - Special Collections Department

ID de referencia: PH049-1-1-013

Cargado por: El Paso Museum of History

Comentarios

Hacer un comentario
Gracias por su comentario

Reportar esta entrada

Elige la razón más importante para este reporte

Tu nombre

Tu correo electrónico

Detalle opcional

Gracias por su reporte

Más sobre la misma comunidad-colección

Rosa Guerrero's Children

Rosa Guerrero's dancers downtown El Paso, Texas.

Folklorico, Civic Center, El Paso, TX circa 1985

Dancers performing at the Civic Center in downtown El Paso, ...

Thomas Calloway Lea, Jr. - El Paso, Texas

Thomas Calloway Lea, Jr. (1877-1945), was a prominent American ...

Tom Lea (1907-2001)

Tom Lea was a genius of the twentieth century with extraordinary ...

DIGIE

Construction has started on Digie--November 5, 2014. EL PASO ...

DIGIE

Construction on the 3-D Digital Wall begins. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

Construction on the Digital Wall begins. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

Construction has started on the 3-D Digital Wall. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

The 3-D Digital Wall begins--November 5, 2014. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

Construction begins for the 3-D Digital Wall. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

Digital Wall construction begins - November 5, 2014. EL PASO ...

DIGIE

The construction for the 3-D Digital Wall begins. EL PASO – ...

DIGIE

The construction for the 3-D Digital Wall begins - November 5, ...

DIGIE

Construction has started at the museum - November 5, 2014. EL ...

DIGIE

Construction begins at the El Paso Museum of History for the ...

DIGIE

Construction has started at the museum - November 5, 2014. EL ...

DIGIE

Photo: Construction has started at the museum --November 5, ...

Robin Williams

Photo: Robin Williams is honored at the El Paso Museum of ...

German History Happy Hour at EPMH

The image captures the German History Happy Hour at the El Paso ...

German History Happy Hour at EPMH

The German Air Force Schuhplattler Group performs during the ...

German History Happy Hour at EPMH

The German Air Force Schuhplattler Group performs during the ...

German History Happy Hour at EPMH

The German Air Force Schuhplattler Group performs during the ...

German History Happy Hour at EPMH

Lisa Heinemann, a German volunteer at the El Paso Museum of ...

home.search_collection