In what year did Edison light up part of New York City with direct current lightbulbs?

In what year did Edison light up part of New York City with direct current lightbulbs?

• A. 1879
• B. 1890
• C. 1882
• D. 1895

Answer: (C)

Lighting a city with a centralized direct-current system shows how early urban electrification worked, using a central power plant to push DC through wires to multiple lamps. In 1882, Edison’s Pearl Street Station in Manhattan began delivering electricity to customers, lighting a portion of New York City with direct-current bulbs. This event marks the real-world, city-scale use of Edison’s DC system. Earlier demonstrations of individual bulbs happened around 1879, but 1882 is the milestone where the technology powered a neighborhood, not just a lab. The later shift toward alternating current solved long-distance transmission issues, but the notable NYC lighting with DC occurred in 1882.

Lighting a city with a centralized direct-current system shows how early urban electrification worked, using a central power plant to push DC through wires to multiple lamps. In 1882, Edison’s Pearl Street Station in Manhattan began delivering electricity to customers, lighting a portion of New York City with direct-current bulbs. This event marks the real-world, city-scale use of Edison’s DC system. Earlier demonstrations of individual bulbs happened around 1879, but 1882 is the milestone where the technology powered a neighborhood, not just a lab. The later shift toward alternating current solved long-distance transmission issues, but the notable NYC lighting with DC occurred in 1882.