Logan County Electric Cooperative
- Mary Mortimer
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
Prior to 1936, only one in five rural households in Logan County had electric service. A few people who lived near towns were able to get electricity from extended power lines to their homes. At that time, the investor-owned utilities were reluctant to construct electric lines in rural areas because there were too few customers per mile of line. Also, since this was during the Depression, they felt no one could afford electricity in the rural areas. This all changed when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order in 1935 establishing the Rural Electrification program. It was one of the largest cooperative efforts in our nation’s history. Enthusiasm for rural electrification spread quickly.
Petitions were circulated to Logan County farmers to see if they were interested in rural electrification and whether they would work with the Farm Bureau to secure such power. Those circulating the petitions discovered that about 85% of the farms were owner-occupied. Perhaps less than 13% were tenant farmed.
Petitions were circulated in Monroe Township by E.G. Denmead, Ed Duckworth, Samuel Lovett, Ralph Wade, C.C. Prall and Melvin Sidesinger. “The proposed southeastern Logan County power line covered about 21 miles starting from the Ludlow Road, south to Route 287, eastward past “Smith Corners” and the Charles Prall farm to Pickerelltown, back past the Monroe School and State bridge.”
When all petitions were brought in, a group meeting was held and tentative plans made for a rural electrification setup that included lines to serve all farmers who desired service. The rural Logan County community came together and formed Logan County Cooperative Power & Light, Assoc., Inc., on December 14, 1935. Two days later, the articles of incorporation were officially signed. The purpose of the new organization was: “To sponsor, promote, aid and assist in making available the use of electrical energy to the inhabitants of the rural areas of Ohio through formation of agencies created to distribute electric energy at cost and not for profit.”
On January 4, 1936, a loan contract for $225,000 was executed by the Rural Electrification Administration in Washington, D.C. to construct 215 miles of electric distribution lines and serve over 860 farms in Logan County.
Logan County Cooperative Power & Light Association President E. Denmead, reported on January 10, 1936, “two of three primary steps necessary to obtaining a $225,000 federal loan for Logan County's rural electrification program had been achieved: The schedule of rates to be charged was approved, headquarters were established on Opera St., and Miss Betty Dow was appointed office secretary. The third was to secure rights-of-way for erection of transmission lines. Electricity was to be purchased from the Bellefontaine municipal light and power plant.
Rates for consumers were announced as follows: $3 minimum for the first 40 kilowatt hours or less; six cents per kwh for the next 30-kilowatt hours, and three cents per kwh for all over the first 70 kilowatt hours. Since no commercial consumer is in sight at present, no commercial rates have been established, Denmead explained.”
On June 13, 1936, it was reported that “All road lines have been staked out on the Ludlow Rd. line, the first that will be built, and along the Bloomfield township line which was included in the material orders approved two weeks ago by the Federal Rural Electrification at Washington, D. C.
About 1,000 poles were ordered as a part of the approximately $45,000 worth of material for the first two lines. All labor will be obtained through the National Re-employment Service office at Bellefontaine. It is planned to employ a maximum of 35 or 40 men on the construction work after it gets under way, but officials were unable Saturday to estimate how many men will start work on the first day of construction.”
On Wednesday, October 21, 1936, at 1:30 p.m., electricity was turned on for the first time to fifty members on Ludlow Rd. south of Bellefontaine. Misses Fannie and Mollie Yoder, who resided along Ludlow Road were the first co-op members to receive electricity to their home from the newly installed utility line. Of the initial 860 members who signed up, 655 wanted electricity for a washing machine, 608 to get radios, 544 wanted well pumps, 231 planned to purchase refrigerators, and 98 wanted motors to help with farm chores.
The first office of the Logan County Electric Cooperative was located at 135 Opera St. in Bellefontaine. They then moved to 1015 S. Detroit St. where they were in operation until their current building was erected at 1587 Co. Rd 32 N. in 1985.
In 1968, the Logan County Cooperative joined with other Rural Electric Cooperatives to form a generation cooperative named Buckeye Power, Inc. in Brilliant, Ohio. Their first coal-fire generator, Cardinal Station, a 615-megawatt unit, was constructed to serve cooperative members throughout Ohio. A second 615-megawatt unit was placed as the load increased. In 2002, the Cooperatives built a 510-megawatt power plant that consists of three gas or oil-fired combustion turbines.
Each year the co-op facilitates the dispersal of $20,000 of grant money to our local community through their Operation Round Up (ORU) program. Through the generosity of their members who have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the next whole dollar, local organizations receive grants to assist with the services they provide to our community.
They also sponsor a Children of Members Scholarship, judge science fair projects, teach energy efficiency with the energy bike, help students understand electrical safety, participate in the Top of Ohio Agriculture field trip, and join in the Run to Educate 5K race.
Logan County Electric Cooperative is a community-focused electric cooperative created by the local community to efficiently deliver safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to more than 5,000 homes, businesses, farms, and schools.
A special thank you to the Logan County Electric Cooperative for sharing their history and photos.
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