History
Prior to 1884, Peterborough’s downtown streets were lit by gas streetlights. Lamplighters were employed to manually spark the lamps in the evening and douse them in the morning. On May 24th, 1884, Peterborough became the first city in Canada with electric street lighting, earning itself the nickname, The Electric City. The Edison Electric Company came to Peterborough from Sherbrooke Quebec in 1890, for the ample water power, rail lines, cheap taxes and the towns offer of free land. Later called the General Electric Company, it set up its plant on the southern edge of town between Park and Monaghan Streets, where it is still located. Its arrival changed the face of the town and ensured its future as a major industrial centre.