196:
174:; when this could not be served, the manager and a work crew from San Jose Light and Power cut the wiring and removed the new lamps, then guarded the tower against the Electric Lighting Company's men. This occurred on a Sunday, when it was then illegal under California law to serve an injunction, so just before midnight the manager and vice president of the Electric Lighting Company went to the tower and rewired it themselves, in stormy weather. When they were taken to court on a charge of contempt, the judge voided the injunction and fined both companies $ 50. The legal struggle continued for several years, during which time the tower had a further six arc lamps added, plus small lights on the beams.
170:
tower with a dozen 150-foot masts topped with additional arc lights. However, a rival company, the
Electric Lighting Company, was awarded the city street lighting franchise in 1890. In what was later called the "San Jose Electric-Light War", Roe's company refused to allow them to light the tower, and it was unlighted until the Electric Lighting Company obtained permission from the City Council to overrule San Jose Light and Power's objections since the tower was on public land and had been paid for in large part by public subscription. They rewired it for incandescent light and it was again illuminated on February 28, 1891. San Jose Light and Power retaliated with an
211:
70:, as a way of lighting the entire center of San Jose on the "high light" principle, at less expense than gas street lighting. Owen was inspired by the electric lighting in San Francisco, the first in the world, which he had visited in 1879. He designed the tower, estimating that it would require $ 5,000 and one month to build it. Just under $ 3,500 was raised by public subscription, and groundbreaking took place on August 11, 1881. The tower was dedicated on December 13 the same year. The
84:
17:
1117:
100:, widening the base to 75 feet (23 m) square so that supporting cables would not be needed; the Akron tower collapsed when the cables broke. Electrical equipment and power were supplied by the California Electric Light Company, which had been incorporated by George H. Roe to market the products of
186:
The plumbing piping of which the tower was constructed crystallized, masked by the paint, and the joints rusted. A wind storm on
February 8, 1915, badly damaged it. A Tower Committee raised $ 6,100 to repair it, and a platform had been built under it and it was to have additional bracing added, but
177:
In
February 1900, San Jose Light and Power declared their intention to sell the tower back to the city, which by that time had not been lit for a year following the dispute with Electric Improvement. However, Electric Improvement's plant had burned down, leaving the city unlit, and the City Council
169:
In April 1882 Owen sold the tower to Roe's company, by then the San Jose Brush
Electric Light Company, to pay remaining construction costs. Brush Electric was bought by the San Jose Light and Power Company in 1889. San Jose Light and Power constructed a new generating facility and supplemented the
122:
mile (0.80 km) it was as bright as the half moon. Nearby businesses named themselves after it, and the police on the local beat made money selling birds that collided with the tower to local restaurants. Christmas lights and banners were hung from it, and photographers used it as a bird's eye
107:
The tower was possibly the world's tallest free-standing iron structure at the time. Its light was visible as far away as San
Francisco; it was brighter than expected, more like full moonlight, and a farmer outside San Jose complained that it interfered with his laying hens by confusing them. The
240:
in 1977, to celebrate the bicentennial of the city. It cost $ 65,000, paid for by the San Jose Real Estate Board in addition to public subscriptions, and is lighted with 620 clear sign lamps on the tower supports and braces, and topped with a beacon made up of four 400-watt metal-halide lamps.
260:
In March 2019 the San Jose Light Tower
Corporation announced plans for a competition to determine the nature of this landmark. By the time entries were closed in July 2020, more than 960 submissions had been made. A group of 34 local community leaders recommended 47 of the entries for further
257:. By 2018, plans had changed and the San Jose Light Tower Project had dropped the idea of reconstructing the Owen Light Tower, choosing instead to focus on a landmark structure at Guadalupe River Park at a maximum height of 115 to 220 feet (35 to 67 m), depending on its final location.
74:
boasted that San Jose was the first town west of the
Rockies lighted by electricity, which was an erroneous claim considering San Francisco, the city that Owens took originally took his inspiration for the moon light from, had already been lighted by electricity several years prior.
178:
awarded the contract to light the city back to Light and Power. In May, the newly-relit tower reportedly attracted a swarm of beetles, which were pursued by insectivorous birds; some birds and beetles were electrocuted, causing stray cats to mob the base of the tower.
148:
and the City of Paris for copyright infringement of the San Jose design, the mock trial judge - Marcel Poche - at the
University of Santa Clara determining that the idea in Paris had emerged independently. In 2019 video producer Thomas Wohlmut released a documentary,
593:, p. 74, the San Jose Electric Improvement Company; formed by Harry J. Edwards, former general manager of the San Jose Light and Power Company, who left the company shortly after the Brush Electric Light Company merged with the San Jose Gas Company.
261:
consideration by the jury after deliberating for two days (July 17 and 18); the jury of 14, in turn, selected three finalists after reviewing all 963 entries over three days (August 3, 4, and 8). The three finalists were announced in
September 2020:
280:(#914, Fer Jerez and Belen Perez de Juan), a forest of 500 white rods 200 feet (61 m) high moving with the wind, again with a negative space the same size as the original Tower. The swaying rods will generate electricity for the building.
91:
As built, the tower was 207 feet (63 m) tall, topped by a platform holding six arc lamps with a diffusing and protective shield above them and a 30 ft (9.1 m) flagpole for a total height of 237 feet (72 m) and a total of
96:. It stood on a brick foundation and spanned the intersection of Santa Clara and Market Streets. It was made of hollow iron pipe and braced with iron hoops. Owen modeled it on the moonlight tower built earlier in 1881 in
288:, announced on March 25, 2021. Two stairs and one elevator allow visitors entry into the structure, and a continuous ramped path 1,900 feet (580 m) long is provided, terminating at a viewing platform.
104:'s Brush Electric Company. Brush's patented system made it possible to connect arc lamps in series. The generator was located in a steam-powered planing mill, using its steam power during the night hours.
338:
1181:
1034:
187:
before work could begin, on
December 3, 56 mph (90 km/h) winds destroyed it. There were no injuries. The city is believed to have paid $ 4,000 to haul the debris away.
268:(#179, Rish Saito), a walk-through installation 700 feet (210 m) long and 200 feet (61 m) high, consisting of gigantic artificial plants illuminated at night
253:
announced plans to raise money to construct a more robust version of the electric light tower with modern lighting and possibly an observation deck, to be located at
1121:
1196:
618:
Coleman, pp. 74–75 adds that the secretary of San Jose Light and Power was also arrested for brandishing a revolver at an Electric Lighting Company work crew.
1191:
274:(#797, Quinrong Liu and Ruize Li), a framework cube 180 feet (55 m) tall, with a negative space paying homage to the original San Jose Light Tower
195:
1098:
Linda S. Larson. "San Jose's Monument to Progress: The Electric Light Tower". San Jose, California: San Jose Historical Museum Association, 1989.
325:
355:
1142:
1186:
419:
862:
760:
157:, exploring the similarities and adding that the tower may also have played a role in determining the inner structure of the
1063:
531:
1133:
1009:
810:
788:
233:
217:
49:
284:
Each of the three finalists received a $ 150,000 stipend to develop their concepts. The design that was selected was
254:
397:
996:
956:
916:
1127:
134:
476:
677:
515:
83:
45:
490:
424:
144:, which was built eight years later; in 1989 the City of San Jose sued in a mock trial the estate of
33:
112:
reported the light was bright enough to throw distinct shadows 1 mile (1.6 km) away and from
794:
698:
568:
1075:
401:
210:
125:
835:
232:
A replica approximately half the size of the original, 115 feet in height, was erected at
1099:
1087:
732:
586:
583:
P. G. and E. of California: The Centennial Story of Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1852–1952
321:
158:
381:
360:
66:
32:
after its creator and chief booster, was constructed in 1881 at an intersection in downtown
37:
16:
145:
602:
1175:
563:
101:
969:
929:
889:
693:
643:
627:
455:
141:
711:
471:
376:
439:
250:
237:
97:
93:
44:. A pioneer use of electricity for municipal lighting, it was later strung with
137:
called it "a complete success" and "the favorite electric tower of the world".
990:
950:
910:
511:
339:"140 years ago, the lights were turned on in San Francisco for the first time"
171:
1157:
1144:
1080:
48:
and was destroyed in a storm in December 1915. A half-size replica stands at
1091:
443:
1116:
1035:
Breeze of Innovation: Code Compliance Narrative & Project White Papers
590:
1103:
41:
736:
739:, state that one person complained of a hand injury from flying debris.
60:
The electric light tower was proposed by J. J. Owen, publisher of the
356:"It’s the 130th anniversary of San Jose’s once-famous electric tower"
318:
the Age of Edison: Electric Light and the Invention of Modern America
727:
According to Gottschalk, Donald O. DeMers Jr. and Ann M. Whitesell,
150:
1086:. San Jose, California: Memorabilia of San José. pp. 497–98.
82:
15:
678:"Failure of 200-Ft. Electric Light Tower at San Jose, California"
1064:"San Jose District: San Jose's historic light tower destroyed"
320:, Penguin history of American life, New York: Penguin, 2013,
20:
San Jose electric light tower illuminated in the early 1880s
1070:, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Volume 7 (1915) 339–40.
1040:(Report). Urban Confluence Silicon Valley. January 18, 2021
1010:"Winner revealed: A look at San Jose's new iconic landmark"
789:"In Silicon Valley, Plans for a Monument to Silicon Valley"
731:, San Jose: San Jose Historical Museum Association, 1977,
480:(Santa Barbara, California), December 16, 1881, p. 2.
140:
It has been argued that its design influenced that of the
201:
Illustration by H.G. Peelor from Dec 10, 1881 article in
811:"A first look: Silicon Valley landmark designs revealed"
863:"San Jose landmark project down to these three choices"
694:"San Jose Electric Tower falls into street during gale"
761:"San Jose Light Tower project finding a new direction"
702:(Santa Rosa, California), December 4, 1915, p. 1.
249:
In 2017 Wohlmut and two other members of the San Jose
510:, February 20, 2019, p. 28, refers to this as a
491:"San Jose Electric Light Tower: San Jose vs. Paris"
1079:
861:
787:
759:
532:"New San Jose light tower project gaining support"
1182:Buildings and structures in San Jose, California
123:vantage point. It was featured in an article in
316:, December 25, 1881, cited in Ernest Freeberg,
855:
853:
398:"Electric-light tower at San Jose, California"
393:
391:
133:, a French electrical journal. A newspaper in
718:(Santa Barbara), December 4, 1915, p. 4.
304:Larson, p. 2; according to Arbuckle, $ 4,000.
8:
559:
557:
526:
524:
644:"Swarms of birds and beetles at San Jose"
372:
370:
413:
411:
350:
348:
297:
729:Santa Clara Valley: Images of the Past
442:; according to Larson, p. 14, in
1136:photographed by John C. Gordon c.1915
7:
1197:1915 disestablishments in California
1082:Clyde Arbuckle's History of San José
860:Pizarro, Sal (September 19, 2020).
786:Streitfeld, David (March 9, 2019).
712:"Tall tower of San Jose is toppled"
547:Richard von Busack, "A Tall Tale",
506:Richard von Busack, "A Tall Tale",
968:Jerez, Fer; Perez de Juan, Belen.
758:Pizarro, Sal (December 10, 2018).
438:According to Arbuckle, p. 497, in
14:
1192:1881 establishments in California
972:. Urban Confluence Silicon Valley
932:. Urban Confluence Silicon Valley
892:. Urban Confluence Silicon Valley
838:. Urban Confluence Silicon Valley
809:Lorence, Stella (July 28, 2020).
682:Western Machinery and Steel World
581:According to Charles M. Coleman,
87:San Jose Moonlight Tower postcard
1115:
551:, February 20, 2019, p. 28.
456:"The Electric Light in San Jose"
418:Pulcrano, Dan (August 2, 2017).
209:
194:
684:Volume 7 (1916) pp. 13–14.
634:, February 13, 1900, p. 2.
603:"San Jose's Electric-Light War"
585:, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1952,
385:, December 15, 1881, p. 2.
1134:Collapsed Electric Light Tower
1008:Wipf, Carly (March 25, 2021).
890:"0179 - Welcome to Wonderland"
1:
1122:San Jose electric light tower
970:"0914 - Breeze of Innovation"
497:, retrieved November 5, 2017.
26:San Jose electric light tower
572:, March 15, 1892, p. 2.
155:The Light Between Two Towers
912:Welcome to Wonderland Recap
609:, March 4, 1891, p. 8.
495:Soft Underbelly of San Jose
216:Half-size replica tower at
165:San Jose Electric-Light War
50:History Park at Kelley Park
1213:
992:Breeze of Innovation Recap
928:Liu, Quinrong; Li, Ruize.
650:, May 6, 1900, p. 17.
628:"Will save electric tower"
930:"0797 - The Nebula Tower"
564:"San Jose Electric Tower"
135:Santa Barbara, California
1187:Towers completed in 1881
1158:37.335488°N 121.892074°W
1074:Arbuckle, Clyde (1986).
1068:Pacific Service Magazine
40:to light the city using
472:"Owen's Electric Tower"
36:, as a "high light" or
1163:37.335488; -121.892074
516:Santa Clara University
460:Sacramento Daily Union
88:
21:
868:San Jose Mercury News
266:Welcome to Wonderland
255:Plaza de César Chávez
131:La Lumière Électrique
86:
30:Owen's Electric Tower
19:
1128:Electric Light Tower
1124:at Wikimedia Commons
1062:Edward F. Caldwell.
549:Metro Silicon Valley
508:Metro Silicon Valley
462:, December 15, 1881.
425:Metro Silicon Valley
420:"Towering Ambitions"
405:, December 10, 1881.
377:"Livermore ..."
286:Breeze of Innovation
278:Breeze of Innovation
34:San Jose, California
1154: /
1130:at History San José
364:, December 8, 2011.
129:and was praised in
64:, the precursor of
1014:San Jose Spotlight
952:Nebula Tower Recap
815:San Jose Spotlight
795:The New York Times
748:Larson, pp. 23–24.
699:The Press Democrat
648:San Francisco Call
632:San Francisco Call
607:San Francisco Call
569:San Francisco Call
538:, August 12, 2017.
89:
46:incandescent bulbs
22:
1120:Media related to
836:"All Submissions"
716:The Morning Press
668:Arbuckle, p. 511.
354:Mary Gottschalk,
328:, pp. 50–51.
326:978-0-14-312444-3
228:Half-size replica
159:Statue of Liberty
1204:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1155:
1152:
1151:
1150:
1147:
1119:
1095:
1085:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1039:
1031:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1020:
1005:
999:
993:
988:
982:
981:
979:
977:
965:
959:
953:
948:
942:
941:
939:
937:
925:
919:
913:
908:
902:
901:
899:
897:
885:
879:
878:
876:
874:
865:
857:
848:
847:
845:
843:
832:
826:
825:
823:
821:
806:
800:
799:
791:
783:
777:
776:
774:
772:
763:
755:
749:
746:
740:
725:
719:
709:
703:
691:
685:
675:
669:
666:
660:
657:
651:
641:
635:
625:
619:
616:
610:
600:
594:
579:
573:
561:
552:
545:
539:
528:
519:
504:
498:
487:
481:
469:
463:
453:
447:
436:
430:
429:
415:
406:
395:
386:
382:Livermore Herald
374:
365:
361:The Mercury News
352:
343:
342:
335:
329:
314:San Jose Mercury
311:
305:
302:
213:
198:
121:
120:
116:
110:Sacramento Union
72:San Jose Mercury
67:The Mercury News
62:San Jose Mercury
28:, also known as
1212:
1211:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1172:
1171:
1162:
1160:
1156:
1153:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1141:
1140:
1112:
1073:
1059:
1054:
1053:
1043:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1032:
1028:
1018:
1016:
1007:
1006:
1002:
991:
989:
985:
975:
973:
967:
966:
962:
951:
949:
945:
935:
933:
927:
926:
922:
911:
909:
905:
895:
893:
887:
886:
882:
872:
870:
859:
858:
851:
841:
839:
834:
833:
829:
819:
817:
808:
807:
803:
785:
784:
780:
770:
768:
757:
756:
752:
747:
743:
726:
722:
710:
706:
692:
688:
676:
672:
667:
663:
658:
654:
642:
638:
626:
622:
617:
613:
601:
597:
580:
576:
562:
555:
546:
542:
529:
522:
505:
501:
488:
484:
477:The Daily Press
470:
466:
454:
450:
437:
433:
428:. pp. 10+.
417:
416:
409:
402:Harper's Weekly
396:
389:
375:
368:
353:
346:
337:
336:
332:
312:
308:
303:
299:
294:
247:
245:Modern landmark
230:
225:
224:
223:
222:
221:
214:
206:
205:
203:Harper's Weekly
199:
184:
167:
126:Harper's Weekly
118:
114:
113:
81:
58:
38:moonlight tower
12:
11:
5:
1210:
1208:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1174:
1173:
1138:
1137:
1131:
1125:
1111:
1110:External links
1108:
1107:
1106:
1096:
1071:
1058:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1026:
1000:
983:
960:
943:
920:
903:
880:
849:
827:
801:
778:
750:
741:
720:
704:
686:
670:
661:
652:
636:
620:
611:
595:
574:
553:
540:
520:
499:
489:Eric Carlson,
482:
464:
448:
431:
407:
387:
366:
344:
341:. 4 July 2016.
330:
306:
296:
295:
293:
290:
282:
281:
275:
269:
246:
243:
229:
226:
215:
208:
207:
200:
193:
192:
191:
190:
189:
183:
180:
166:
163:
146:Gustave Eiffel
80:
77:
57:
54:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1209:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1179:
1177:
1170:
1167:
1135:
1132:
1129:
1126:
1123:
1118:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1105:
1101:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1084:
1083:
1077:
1072:
1069:
1065:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1036:
1030:
1027:
1015:
1011:
1004:
1001:
998:
994:
987:
984:
971:
964:
961:
958:
954:
947:
944:
931:
924:
921:
918:
914:
907:
904:
891:
888:Saito, Rish.
884:
881:
869:
864:
856:
854:
850:
837:
831:
828:
816:
812:
805:
802:
797:
796:
790:
782:
779:
767:
762:
754:
751:
745:
742:
738:
734:
730:
724:
721:
717:
713:
708:
705:
701:
700:
695:
690:
687:
683:
679:
674:
671:
665:
662:
659:Larson, p. 4.
656:
653:
649:
645:
640:
637:
633:
629:
624:
621:
615:
612:
608:
604:
599:
596:
592:
588:
584:
578:
575:
571:
570:
565:
560:
558:
554:
550:
544:
541:
537:
533:
530:Sal Pizarro,
527:
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
503:
500:
496:
492:
486:
483:
479:
478:
473:
468:
465:
461:
457:
452:
449:
445:
441:
435:
432:
427:
426:
421:
414:
412:
408:
404:
403:
399:
394:
392:
388:
384:
383:
378:
373:
371:
367:
363:
362:
357:
351:
349:
345:
340:
334:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
310:
307:
301:
298:
291:
289:
287:
279:
276:
273:
270:
267:
264:
263:
262:
258:
256:
252:
244:
242:
239:
235:
227:
219:
212:
204:
197:
188:
182:1915 collapse
181:
179:
175:
173:
164:
162:
160:
156:
152:
147:
143:
138:
136:
132:
128:
127:
111:
105:
103:
102:Charles Brush
99:
95:
85:
78:
76:
73:
69:
68:
63:
55:
53:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
18:
1139:
1081:
1067:
1042:. Retrieved
1029:
1017:. Retrieved
1013:
1003:
986:
974:. Retrieved
963:
946:
934:. Retrieved
923:
906:
894:. Retrieved
883:
871:. Retrieved
867:
840:. Retrieved
830:
818:. Retrieved
814:
804:
793:
781:
769:. Retrieved
766:Mercury News
765:
753:
744:
728:
723:
715:
707:
697:
689:
681:
673:
664:
655:
647:
639:
631:
623:
614:
606:
598:
582:
577:
567:
548:
543:
536:Mercury News
535:
507:
502:
494:
485:
475:
467:
459:
451:
434:
423:
400:
380:
359:
333:
317:
313:
309:
300:
285:
283:
277:
272:Nebula Tower
271:
265:
259:
248:
234:History Park
231:
218:History Park
202:
185:
176:
168:
154:
142:Eiffel Tower
139:
130:
124:
109:
106:
92:24,000
90:
71:
65:
61:
59:
29:
25:
23:
1161: /
1149:121°53′31″W
1076:"Utilities"
440:Morgan Hill
251:Rotary Club
238:Kelley Park
98:Akron, Ohio
94:candlepower
1176:Categories
1146:37°20′08″N
771:January 7,
512:mock trial
292:References
172:injunction
42:arc lights
591:316031512
444:Los Gatos
1104:20691190
1092:32063141
1044:25 March
1019:25 March
976:25 March
936:25 March
896:25 March
873:25 March
842:25 March
820:25 March
514:held at
1057:Sources
997:YouTube
957:YouTube
917:YouTube
737:3551397
117:⁄
56:History
1102:
1090:
735:
589:
324:
220:(2008)
79:Design
1038:(PDF)
1100:OCLC
1088:OCLC
1046:2021
1021:2021
978:2021
938:2021
898:2021
875:2021
844:2021
822:2021
773:2019
733:OCLC
587:OCLC
322:ISBN
24:The
995:on
955:on
915:on
236:in
1178::
1078:.
1066:.
1012:.
866:.
852:^
813:.
792:.
764:.
714:,
696:,
680:,
646:,
630:,
605:,
566:,
556:^
534:,
523:^
493:,
474:,
458:,
422:.
410:^
390:^
379:,
369:^
358:,
347:^
161:.
153:,
52:.
1094:.
1048:.
1023:.
980:.
940:.
900:.
877:.
846:.
824:.
798:.
775:.
518:.
446:.
151:"
119:2
115:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
