For many Americans in the 1930s one of the most memorable experiences of a lifetime was the day electric power came to their home. Often with great anticipation homes were readied for "zero hour," the moment the lines were energized. Homes were wired, bulbs were hung, a radio was in place, and, if the family could afford them, appliances such as electric ranges and refrigerators were installed and ready.

The push to bring electricity to all corners of America—including isolated rural farms—began with the presidential campaign of 1932. The Democratic candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), promoted the goal of rural electrification, and in November he won the presidency by a landslide. Americans caught in the depths of the Great Depression (1929–41), the worst economic crisis in U.S. history, had pinned all their hopes on the new president.

Few Electrified Farms

Electric power began to...