Electricity in Santa Cruz: Timeline

As this chronological study of Santa Cruz County history moves into the 1890s, a few topics cross multiple years and decades. A handy way to begin with those broader topics is with a text timeline, as with the Santa Cruz water system timeline.

Local use of electricity is another story that developed over many decades. See the page Santa Cruz electricity timeline  for an expansion of this summary:

1860s: The electric telegraph came into our county from the wider world and remained important for three decades or more.

1880s: Developments in electrical lighting, and in dynamos to produce electrical current enabled the first electric light and power enterprises, including hydroelectric generation.

1890s: Electric-powered trolleys replaced horse-drawn streetcars. Residential electric lighting and telephones become common.