Centennial Light

The Centennial Light hanging in the Livermore, California Firehouse

The Centennial Light is the world's longest-lasting light bulb. It is at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California, and maintained by the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.^[1] The fire department says that the bulb is at least 110 years old and has been turned off only a handful of times. Due to its longevity, the bulb has been noted by The Guinness Book of World Records,^[2] Ripley's Believe It or Not!, and General Electric.^[3] It is often cited as evidence for the existence of planned obsolescence in later-produced light bulbs.^[4]

History

The Centennial Light is a four-watt,^[5] hand-blown, carbon- filament, common light bulb manufactured in Shelby, Ohio, by the Shelby Electric Company^[6] in the late 1890s; many just like it still exist and can be found functioning.^[7] According to Zylpha Bernal Beck, the bulb was donated to the Fire Department by her father, Dennis Bernal in 1901.^[6] Bernal owned the Livermore Power and Water Company and donated the bulb to the fire station when he sold the company. That story has been supported by firefighter volunteers of that era.^[8]

Evidence suggests the bulb has hung in at least four locations. It was originally hung in 1901 in a hose cart house on L Street,^[8] then moved to a garage in downtown Livermore used by the fire and police departments.^[9] When the fire department consolidated, it was moved again to a newly constructed City Hall that housed the unified departments.

Its unusual longevity was first noticed in 1972 by reporter Mike Dunstan. After weeks of interviewing people who had lived in Livermore all their lives, he wrote "Light Bulb May Be World's Oldest", published in the Tri-Valley Herald. Dunstan contacted the Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and General Electric who all confirmed it as the longest-lasting bulb known in existence. The article came to the attention of Charles Kuralt of the CBS-TV program On the Road with Charles Kuralt.

In 1976, the fire department moved to Fire Station #6 with the bulb; the bulb's cord was severed for fear that unscrewing it could damage it. It was deprived of electricity for only 22 minutes during the transfer, which was made in a specially designed box and with full firetruck escort. An electrician was on hand to install the bulb into the new fire station's emergency generator. Ripley's Believe It Or Not stated that the short delay would not mar the bulb's continuous burning record. In 2001, the bulb's 100th birthday was celebrated with a community barbecue and live music.^[6] As of 2009, the bulb has not been shut off for over 32 years; previously it had only been off for short periods, such as a week in 1937 for a renovation, short power outages (now solved by having it linked to the generator), etc.^[6]

The bulb is cared for by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department plans to house and maintain the bulb for the rest of its life, regardless of length. When it does go out, they have no plans for it, although Ripley's Believe it or Not! has requested it for their museum.^[6] The bulb's long life has been attributed to its low power, near continuous operation, and dedicated power supply.^[10]

Publicity

The bulb was officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the Most Durable Light", in 1972, replacing another bulb in Fort Worth, Texas. The bulb was listed in the book for the next 16 editions. It was not listed during 1988–2006, without a reason being given, before returning in 2007.^[11]

According to the fire chief, every few months a news outlet will publish a story on the bulb, generating visitors and general interest, then it will drop back into obscurity for a while. Dozens of magazines and newspapers have featured articles on the bulb.^[12] The bulb has been visited and featured by many major news channels^[12] in the United States, including NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS,^[13] WB, CNN and NPR.^[1] The bulb has received letters acknowledging and celebrating its longevity from the city of Shelby, Ohio,^[14] the Alameda County Board of Supervisors,^[15] the California State Assembly,^[16] the California State Senate,^[17] Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher,^[18] Senator Barbara Boxer,^[19] and President George W. Bush.^[20] The bulb was featured on an episode of MythBusters on December 13, 2006.^[21][22] It was also in the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary Livermore.

See also

• Eternal flame
• Longest-lasting light bulbs

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Century Light Bulb". National Public Radio. 2001-06-10. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1124201. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
2. ^ Longest burning light bulb, Guiness World Records, http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Longest-burning-light-bulb/63240.htm .
3. ^ "The Little Bulb That Could… and Does", VIA, http://www.viamagazine.com/top_stories/articles/lightbulb02.asp, retrieved January 27, 2007 .
4. ^ Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_17287091?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1 .
5. ^ "Centennial bulb", USA Today, 2003-4-2, http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/hotsites/2003/2003-04-02-hotsites.htm, retrieved January 27, 2007 .
6. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Facts". Livermore: Centennial Light. http://www.centennialbulb.org/facts.htm. Retrieved 2007-1-20. 
7. ^ Steve's Shelby Collection, Centennial Bulb, http://www.centennialbulb.org/shelby-steve.htm, retrieved January 20, 2007 .
8. ^ ^{a b} Light Bulb May Be World's Oldest, Centennial Bulb, http://www.centennialbulb.org/newsppr3.htm, retrieved October 14, 2009 .
9. ^ Livermore timeline, Public Broadcasting Service, http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/livermore/place.html .
10. ^ Light Bulb Methuselahs, Roadside America, http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/lightbulbs.html .
11. ^ Guinness page, Centennial Bulb, http://www.centennialbulb.org/guiness.htm .
12. ^ ^{a b} "Articles". Livermore: Centennial Light. http://www.centennialbulb.org/articles.htm. 
13. ^ "Eternal Light Bulb". Vanderbilt Television News Archive (CBS Evening News). March 23, 1972. http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=222205. 
14. ^ "Proclamation: Livermore/Pleasanton California Centennial Light" (JPEG). City of Shelby. June 6, 2001. http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/shelby.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
15. ^ "Resolution: Congratulations Livermore's Centennial Light, 1901–2001" (JPEG). Board of Supervisors, County of Alameda, State of California. June 8, 2001. http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/almdbrd.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
16. ^ "Certificate of Recognition" (JPEG). California State Assembly. http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/assy.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
17. ^ "Certificate of Recognition" (JPEG). State of California Senate. June 8, 2001. http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/senate.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
18. ^ Ellen O. Tauscher (June 8, 2001). "Letter of congratulations" (JPEG). http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/tauschr.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
19. ^ Barbara Boxer (June 8, 2001). "Letter of congratulations" (JPEG). http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/boxer.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
20. ^ George W. Bush (June 1, 2001). "Letter from the President" (JPEG). http://www.centennialbulb.org/awards/gwbush.jpg. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
21. ^ "Mythbusters Interview". Livermore's Centennial Light. http://www.centennialbulb.org/mythbstr.htm. 
22. ^ Mythbusters episode guide, Discovery Channel, http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode.html .

External links

• Official website for the bulb
• Livermore documentary at PBS.org

Coordinates: 37°40′49″N 121°44′21″W / 37.68028°N 121.73917°W / 37.68028; -121.73917