West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
LAMP POSTS

The first lighting device for lighting streets in the residence district of West Liberty was a privately owned lamp post in the front of the residence of W. W. McClun on the west side of North Calhoun street at the property where his daughter Carrie H. McClun is now living. It was installed some ten or twelve years before the turn of the century and was kept lighted by the McCluns as a matter of private enterprise only. Some years later a rather systematic scheme of lighting in the residence district was in vogue and lamp posts stationed about two blocks apart were maintained. The lights were gasoline lights requiring generation, and the night-watchman, as lamp-lighter, would make his rounds with a step-ladder and a blow torch to generate the lamps so they could be lighted.

These old gasoline lights were eventually replaced by arc lamps upon the advent of electricity to the town. These arc lamps were swung overhead in the middle of every second street intersection and were required to be lowered periodically to replace the carbons.

---