<P> The colonial - era streetlights were lit by candles placed inside a glass vessel, which kept the candle from being blown out by wind . Franklin's design was four - sided, with four separate panes of glass, so that if one pane of glass was broken, the lamp did not need to be entirely replaced, and might not even blow out . </P> <P> After the invention of gas lighting by William Murdoch in 1792, cities in Britain began to light their streets using gas . The United States followed suit shortly afterwards with the introduction of gas lighting to Pelham Street in Newport, Rhode Island in 1803 . Throughout the 19th century, the use of gas lighting increased . Some locations in the US still use gas lights . </P> <P> After Thomas Edison pioneered electric use, light bulbs were developed for the streetlights as well . The first city to use electric street lights was Wabash, Indiana . Charles F. Brush of Cleveland, Ohio wanted to publicly test his new invention the "Brush Light" and needed a city to do so . The City Council of Wabash agreed to testing the lights and on March 31, 1880, Wabash became the "First Electrically Lighted City in the World" as a flood of light engulfed the town from four Brush Lights mounted atop the courthouse . One of the original Brush Lights is on display at the Wabash County Courthouse . By the beginning of the 20th century, the number of fire - based streetlights was dwindling as developers were searching for safer and more effective ways to illuminate their streets . Fluorescent and incandescent lights became popular during the 1930s and 1940s, when automobile travel began to flourish . A street with lights was referred to as a white way during the early 20th century . Part of New York City's Broadway was nicknamed the Great White Way due to the massive number of electric lights used on theater marquees lining the street . </P> <P> The two main competitors in the street lighting industry were General Electric and Westinghouse . During the 1950s, GE lit roadways with its Form 109 and, later, the popular Form 400 . Westinghouse answered with the OV - 20 model . </P>

First city in the us to have electricity