Published in ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • May 2009

Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative member George Holhubner read a previous article in the Illinois Country Living by Art Tenhouse, a member of Adams Electric Cooperative in Camp Point, Ill. Art described his great grandfather’s struggle to get electricity to his rural farm in 1929. This prompted George to write the following letter about his own experience of “when the lights came on” and how REA helped his family back in 1939.

My parents were married in 1926 and soon after that, my father asked the (investor-owned) utility company if they would extend a line to our farmstead. It (our farmstead) was a little over ¼ mile from their line on our west farm boundary, and about the same distance to the south from a field-crossing line that ran into the Village of Olmsted.

They didn’t even quote a price. They just said something about a few light bulbs and a couple kitchen appliances being out of the question. It always amazed me that the (investor-owned) utilities didn’t have the foresight to see potential electric usage on farms; i.e. dairies, beef feeding operations, hog farms, grain handling, farm shops… the list goes on and on. Our home, barns, corn crib, grainery and other buildings were wired by REA in 1939.

Power was turned on late that year or early 1940. I was six years old in 1939 and my parents, brother and I were really excited about having electricity. I am third generation on our farm, and I am still thankful for those early leaders who did the pioneering work to get our Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative
up and running.

Yours Truly,
George Holhubner
Olmsted, Illinois

Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative energized its first lines (195 miles) in March, 1939. It now serves over 11,500 meters and energizes over 2,100 miles.

If you remember when the lights came on, tell us your story. Write to:
Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative,
Attention: Jerri Schaefer, P. O. Box
100, Dongola, IL 62926 or email
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