February 26th, 2026 | Featuring: Joe DeLise - "The Shocking History of Electricity in Santa Barbara"

🗣 Have you ever wondered what Santa Barbara was like before electricity came to our city?  Imagine how dramatic the change was when about a dozen street corners went from flickering gas lamps to electrified streetlights overnight and when this modern miracle entered businesses and then residences!

Today just may be the first time that many of you will be hearing about how forward-thinking civic leaders like Charles Fernald and Walter Hawley forever changed Santa Barbara one foggy night in 1887. Find out about the first electric power plants - where they were located and how they produced electrical magic; and which street corners first turned night into day.  From the beginning, there were complaints about lousy service and high prices; hear about a rogue method used to address those situations. And, learn why…