No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaSan José, Costa Rica: One of the first cities with electricity

San José, Costa Rica: One of the first cities with electricity

Happy Throwback Thursday! For today’s #TBT, we go way back to the late 19th century.

In 1884, San José, Costa Rica, became one of the first cities in the world to be illuminated with electric lighting. Many claim it was the third city in the world (and the first in Latin America) to be illuminated, though that’s likely incorrect.

San José of the 1880s was quite different than the city we know and love — or hate — today. It was a town illuminated with canfin (kerosene); municipalities hired workers to manually light the streetlights every evening. Not that the cities were all that large: San José was the capital of a province with barely 50,000 inhabitants.

There, in a darkened pasture, two men put a small hydroelectric plant to work. As the energy source, they diverted some pipes that fed a pool destined to cool oxen that arrived at the capital. (No word on how the oxen felt about this development.)

The night of August 9, 1884 was unforgettable for Costa Ricans, as the electrical service was inaugurated in San José at 6:15 p.m. The plant was located in Barrio Aranjuez and its 75 horsepower generated 50 kilowatts to power 25 charcoal lamps.

For the ceremony, President Próspero Fernández came out to his balcony in the Presidential Palace, and curious crowds arrived from Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia to witness the historic moment. From darkness, there was instantaneous light.

“The streets where the poles were placed and the wires were laid were an obligatory pilgrimage site for everyone,” wrote Alberto Quijano in his 1940 book. “Some arrived expressing their doubts because, perhaps, the wires were hollow, like very fine tubes, through which the canfin circulated to the lanterns.”

Whether or not Costa Rica was third in electrifying its capital, the early adoption remains a source of national pride. Costa Rica electrified just two years after lights were turned on in New York City.

Today, Costa Rica’s electric grid remains impressive: It has been almost entirely powered by renewable energy for six-straight years.

Trending Now

Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste

Costa Rica is poised to revolutionize its transportation landscape with the introduction of electric air taxis, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional ground travel...

An Expat’s Take: 5 Burning Questions About Life in Costa Rica Right Now

Have you been keeping up with the various events taking place in Costa Rica? There is always something interesting going down, and here are...

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

Costa Rica Surf Film Festival Honors ‘Pura Vida Bodysurfing’ with Top Audience Award

Pura Vida Bodysurfing is an award-winning short film that strips surfing back to its essence—riding waves without a surfboard. Filmed across Costa Rica’s legendary...

Life After MS-13 in El Salvador as Residents Seek a Fragile Peace

Esperanza Martinez lost three relatives who were murdered and saw numerous bodies left in the streets of her neighborhood, a former stronghold of the...

Costa Rica and U.S. Strengthen Border Scans and Biometric Cooperation

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem met Wednesday with Honduran President Xiomara Castro to discuss security and migration, following her offer in Costa...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica