The invention of the incandescent light bulb in the 1870s provided one of the first opportunities for public access to electricity. As a result, fire hazards in the home were reduced as traditional flames were replaced by light bulbs.

On this day, June 3rd, in 1889, the first long-distance electric power transmission line was completed in the U.S., which helped to make electricity more affordable and available to all.

The first long-distance power line stretched from a powerhouse in Willamette Falls to lights in Portland, Oregon, 14 miles west. The power lines lit up 55 street lights in Portland and brought in a new design for electric power transmission. By the end of the year, the lines were providing about 4,000 volts of power directly to the city.