top of page

California Agriculture
Museum
1958 Hays Lane
Woodland, CA 95776
530.666.9700
Open Wednesday-Sunday
10AM - 4PM
Home of the Heidrick Tractor Collection - Collecting Since 1930 - Founded in 1995
Electricity on the Farm
106# English 115# Spanish
California’s farmers were the nation’s pioneers in utilizing electric power. The world’s first reported use of electricity for irrigation pumping took place in the Central Valley in the late 1800’s. During the same time farms and ranches installed electrical generators to power equipment in blacksmith shops and barns.
Wind mills became prevalent fixtures to create electricity on farms by 1921. It wasn’t until 1929 that electrical poles were routinely erected to supply electricity to rural areas in California.
bottom of page