Powering American Farms: The Overlooked Origins of Rural Electrification

377 Pages·2022·10.904 MB·English

by  Richard F. Hirsh

Powering American Farms
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 1 1/28/22 11:44 AM
This page intentionally left blank
349-99188_Rothfels_ch01_3P.indd 6
Powering American Farms
The Overlooked Origins of Rural Electrification
Richard F. Hirsh
Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 3 1/28/22 11:44 AM
© 2022 Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2022
Printed in the United States of Amer i ca on acid- free paper
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Mary land 21218-4363
www . press . jhu . edu
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Hirsh, Richard F., author.
Title: Powering American farms : the overlooked origins of rural
electrification / Richard F. Hirsh.
Description: Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, [2022] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021029175 | ISBN 9781421443621 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9781421443638 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Rural electrification— United States— History—20th
century. | Electric utilities— United States— History—20th century. |
Farmers— United States— History—20th century.
Classification: LCC HD9688.U4 H57 2022 | DDC 333.793/20973— dc23
LC rec ord available at https:// lccn . loc . gov / 2021029175
A cata log rec ord for this book is available from the British Library.
Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For more
information, please contact Special Sales at specialsales@jh . edu.
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 4 1/28/22 11:44 AM
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction 1
part i: Historical Context of Rural Electrification
1 The Standard Narrative and Its Defects 15
2 Unattractive Economics in the Rural Electricity Market 33
3 Business Attitudes toward Farmers in the 1920s 46
4 The Lure and Lore of Rural Electrification 60
5 Farmers on Their Own 70
part ii: Alignment of Rural Stakeholders
6 Utility Interest in Rural Electrification Awakens 97
7 The Unexpected Public Relations Value of Rural Electrification 110
8 The Industry Organizes the CREA 132
9 State Committees Work to Resolve Uncertainties 149
10 Regulation and the Extension of Lines to Rural Areas 174
11 Momentum in the Rural Electrification Subsystem 182
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 5 1/28/22 11:44 AM
vi Contents
part iii: Growth of Rural Electrification Efforts
in the 1930s
12 Government Innovations in the Rural Electrification Subsystem 209
13 Competition and Private Utilities in the REA Era 227

Conclusion 243
Notes 257
Index 353
Color plates follow page 198
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_5P.indd 6 22/02/22 10:20 PM
Preface
I never thought I would write a book about the electrification of farms in the early
twentieth century. As someone who studies the evolution of modern technological
systems and con temporary energy policy, I normally draw on interviews (among
other sources) that I conduct on historical actors who are often younger than I am.
To study long- passed people and events usually does not appeal to me.
Yet, as an unanticipated outgrowth of a book chapter I wrote to celebrate the
150th anniversary of the Morrill Land- Grant Act of 1862, I rediscovered the en-
lightening narrative of rural electrification, which I first encountered in my high
school and college readings several de cades ago. From venerated historians, I
learned how the federal government strung power lines to rural Amer i ca during
the depths of the Great Depression in the 1930s, giving isolated and often desti-
tute farmers a sense of the modern life that their urban cousins had enjoyed for
many years. Of course, ruralites knew about electricity and often wanted access
to it, but private electric power companies saw little profit in extending lines
outside of cities. As presented in these accounts, federal rural electrification ef-
forts demonstrated (at least in this case) that government can play an impor tant
role in addressing social inequities that insensitive private businesses chose to
neglect.
Archival research at my university, Virginia Tech, made me question this standard
narrative, as I found evidence of significant rural electrification work performed
by agricultural engineers, who won support from t hose supposedly covetous
power companies. Further research convinced me that the appealing traditional
account contained serious flaws. Private companies did not neglect the farm mar-
ket. Rather, they pursued it in a conservative fashion that nevertheless saw huge
strides made in the de cade before the New Deal began.
When I realized that the conventional story of rural electrification no longer
proved tenable, I felt compelled to pre sent an alternative narrative. This book con-
stitutes an attempt to do so. Though offering an account less sensational than the
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 7 1/28/22 11:44 AM
viii Preface
standard version, it describes the still- moving pro cess by which rural Americans
began to obtain an exceptionally versatile form of energy.
My research and writing benefited from the assistance of old and new friends.
Alan I. Marcus at Mississippi State University gave me the initial impetus to pur-
sue this proj ect, having asked me to write a book chapter on electrical engineer-
ing at land- grant institutions. Work on that piece metamorphosed into a study of
agricultural engineers at the schools and their work with industry partners who
pursued rural electrification. When I gained the courage to pre sent the first re-
sults of my research, I received valuable advice from A. Roger Ekirch, Daniel B.
Thorp, Kevin L. Borg, Terry S. Reynolds, Thomas J. Misa, Ronald R. Kline, Ruth
Schwartz Cowan, Jonathan G. Koomey, and David E. Nye. Roger, Jonathan, and
David also showed their kindness by reading drafts of my manuscript and by sug-
gesting useful changes and additions. Happily, research on this new topic also
brought me into contact with another group of scholars, some of whom offered
not just advice but also primary resources. These generous colleagues included W.
Cully Hession, Brent Cebul, Mark Luccarelli, John L. Neufeld, and Abby Spinak.
I am especially grateful to the many professionals who helped me in archives
and libraries. They included Marc Brodsky, Aaron D. Purcell, and Kayla Sweet
at Virginia Tech; Jennifer Baker and Todd Kosmerick at North Carolina State
University; Jennie Russell at Michigan State University; David White and Mela-
nie Bazil at Kettering University; David Null and Cat Phan at the University of
Wisconsin– Madison; Cheryl Gunselman, Mark O’En glish, and Gayle O’Ha ra at
Washington State University; Laura Guedes, Amy Thompson, and Robert Perret
at the University of Idaho; Becky S. Jordan and Olivia Garrison at Iowa State Uni-
versity; Sara Gunasekara and Dawn Collings at the University of California, Da-
vis; Chris Burns and Jeffrey D. Marshall at the University of Vermont; John Verner
and Aaron Trehub at Auburn University; Clint Pumphrey, Bradford Cole, and Rob-
ert Parson at Utah State University; Susan Hoffman and Erin George at the Uni-
versity of Minnesota; Adrian Fischer at the Bakken Museum; Caroline J. White
at the University of Mas sa chu setts– Amherst; Lynne Belluscio at the LeRoy (New
York) Historical Society; Tyrone Corn at Idaho Power Com pany; and Chris Belena
at the Franklin D. Roo se velt Presidential Library.
Family members provided substantive support in many ways. My charming
wife, Margene, worked with me in the dusty archives (which really aren’t so dusty
anymore!) and helped me locate wonderful resources upon which much of this
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 8 1/28/22 11:44 AM
Preface ix
text draws. Sister- in- law Debra Bingham listened patiently to summaries of my
work and gave me useful advice about recent popu lar histories that continue to
relate the conventional story of rural electrification. My sons, Stephen and David,
heard me talk too much about my topic at f amily gatherings but nevertheless of-
fered encouragement to finish this task. David also provided invaluable technical
assistance in preparing many of the delightful images used here. To these loved
ones and my extended f amily, I dedicate this book.
349-102468_Hirsh_ch01_4P.indd 9 1/28/22 11:44 AM