Glenwood Springs in Garfield County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
And Devereux Said Unto Glenwood, "Let There Be Light"
Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018
1. And Devereux Said Unto Glenwood, "Let There Be Light" Marker
In 1888, through the ingenuity of developer and engineer Walter B. Devereux, the City of Glenwood Springs was provided with electric lights.
Devereux had been a local leader for the development of hydroelectric power. By 1886, he had successfully lighted Aspen's mines, homes and businesses. By doing so, he made Colorado history by being among the first to supply a town with commercially available electricity.
In 1886, on the north side of the Colorado River near the foot of today's Grand Avenue bridge, Devereux erected a coal-fired, steam-driven electric power plant. For the consumer, with a flip of a switch, the days of kerosene lamps were gone. In December of 1887, Devereux replaced the coal-powered plant with a new hydroelectric structure.
Today, the hydroelectric building just east of the Hot Springs Pool is on the National Register of Historic Places. It houses the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts.
The electric light has caused me the greatest amount of study and has required the most elaborate experiments... Thomas Edison
Photo captions
Left: A new electric powerplant brought light to the Fairy Caves, now Glenwood Caverns.
Middle: Walter B. Devereux
Erected by
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Notable Places • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1887.
Location. 39° 32.796′ N, 107° 19.462′ W. Marker is in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in Garfield County. Marker is on 8th Street east of Grand Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Located on the side of the Glenwood Chamber Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 802 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs CO 81601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Water for Glenwood Springs (here, next to this marker); When Snow Slides Closed the Canyon (here, next to this marker); Immigrants Found Future in Colorado (a few steps from this marker); When the Railroads Arrived in Glenwood Springs (a few steps from this marker); CCC Men Built Improvements for Glenwood (a few steps from this marker); Healthy Atmosphere Rehabilitated Soldiers (a few steps from this marker); "The First National Bank Building" (a few steps from this marker); David Delaplane, Father of Colorado Mountain College (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glenwood Springs.
Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018
2. Marker is fifth from the left.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2018. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 243 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 21, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
