Before lightbulbs existed city streets were illuminated by giant electric arc lamps
Before the invention of the modern lightbulb, American cities were transformed by massive electric arc lamps that produced a brilliant blue-white glow far brighter than gaslight.
In the late 1870s, inventor Charles Brush brought a new kind of light to the dark streets of America. His breakthrough arc lamp used electro-mechanically regulated carbon electrodes to produce a staggering 4,000 candlepower. These lights were so powerful that they debuted on city balconies and quickly scaled to illuminate major hubs like New York and San Francisco.
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