From Geneva’s First Power Lines to Modern Times
In the rolling fields of rural Geneva in the late 1930s, Henry Martin, the youngest of 6 siblings, spent his school nights hunched over textbooks, the dim glow of a kerosene lamp barely lighting the pages. Some days, he’d help his dad on the farm where they grew cotton and corn, relying on mules instead of tractors. His mother, meanwhile, managed a household where every chore, from laundry to food preservation, was a manual endeavor. Many Wiregrass families lived similar lives before electricity came to the area.
Martin, now a 97-year-old whose memories intertwine with the history of electricity in his hometown, recounted his experiences growing up in a farming family. It was a life of hard work and simple pleasures in a time when community was everything, and every small success was a victory against the backdrop of the Great Depression. “It was the good old times,” he says.
Electricity, a luxury taken for granted in cities, remained a distant dream for the folks of rural Southeast Alabama. The major power companies saw sparsely populated areas as unprofitable and refused to invest in building the necessary infrastructure there. Undeterred, a group of determined farmers banded together under the Rural Electrification Administration in 1939, laying the groundwork for what became Wiregrass Electric Cooperative.
A Bright Idea Takes Hold
Born in 1927, Martin was a witness to Geneva’s electrification, a gradual process that started in 1940. But even as the cooperative began weaving the first power lines throughout the farming community, electricity was met with a mixture of awe and skepticism.
“Some of them didn’t want electricity,” Martin says. “They didn’t know nothing about it. They were afraid, I think, maybe of losing their land for power poles.”
Despite the initial resistance, rural residents eased into the idea, enticed by the prospect of living more comfortably and the possibilities electricity promised. Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, formerly the Rural Electric Cooperative Association, or REA, played a pivotal role in illuminating Geneva’s farming families.
And 17-year-old Martin was thrilled when a single 60-watt lightbulb was installed in his family’s home. “We had 1 little ol’ bulb with 1 little cord,” he says, gesturing upward. Soon, the warm glow of light shined in every room.
In the beginning, it was a simple joy. “We could see!” Martin says, chuckling. The community, bound by shared hardships and resilience, witnessed the profound transformation from a life dependent on mules and lanterns to 1 facilitated by modern conveniences. WEC was at the heart of this change, building out its expansive power network to reach even the most remote corners of the community.
Martin fondly recalls building his own house in the 1950s and being the last on his street to get electricity. “We were happy to get it. I’ve been real, real pleased with it,” he says.
Electricity reduced much of the farm household drudgery, making rural life ideal. As an adult, Martin operated his farm, integrating the growing applications of electricity into his farming practices. Initially used as a light source, it was soon harnessed to power heavy farm equipment, boosting his farm’s productivity and the region’s economy.
A Thriving Cooperative
Today, WEC upholds the vision of its founders. It serves over 19,000 members in Houston and Geneva counties and parts of Dale, Coffee, Covington and Henry counties, with over 3,200 miles of line. The cooperative, now equipped with modern technology like digital automated meters, focuses on efficient and cost-effective service delivery to realize its mission of delivering reliable and affordable electricity. “Hearing Mr. Martin reminisce about when electricity first arrived is incredible,” remarks Stevie Sauls, WEC’s vice president of member services and communications. “It’s stories like his that really highlight how vital reliable electricity is for our community. They take us back to WEC’s roots – our ongoing commitment to enrich lives in the rural areas we serve.”
Martin’s family still operates his farm, while he spends many of his days in the house he proudly built. That home is a testament to the revolutionary impact of rural electric cooperatives, with central cooling, heating, and modern appliances — a far cry from the wood fireplaces of his youth. “I wouldn’t take anything in the world over having electricity,” he says matter-of-factly.
Martin’s journey from picking cotton by hand to ignoring the telemarketers calling his cellphone encapsulates Alabama’s incredible technological and lifestyle evolution.
“I’ve seen some tough times, I’ve seen some fair times, and I’ve seen some good times, but people are living better today than they ever have,” Martin says. “And that’s because of electricity. Where would we be without it?”
From its humble beginnings, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative has always been more than a utility provider. It’s a catalyst for change and progress. In Henry Martin’s words and memories, we find more than just the history of a cooperative, but the generational wisdom of a man who is grateful for a world made better by electricity.