MARBLEHEAD MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT
                  
 
"Owned By The People We Serve"
                        
 

Marblehead Municipal Light Commissioners

Earl H. Smith
1948-1977

Harold G. Macomber, Jr.
1962-1980

Frederick E. Dodge
1971-1976

Irving G. Block
1977-1982

Arthur L. Strang
1976-1978

Michael Flachbart
1978-1981

Thomas A. Jordan
1980-1993

Mark A. Princi
1981-1987

Donald S. Yeaple
1982-1985

Erwin C.Rohde
1985-2001

Michael Hercher
1987-1990

Irving G.Block
1990-1996

Michael Hercher
1993-2001

Charles O. Phillips
1996-

Wilbur E. Bassett
2001-

Alan Chipman
2001-2007

Calvin T. Crawford
2004-

Philip W. Sweeney
2004

Walter E. Homan
2007-

 

OVER A CENTURY OF SERVICE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MARBLEHEAD MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY		  
     
  1941 - 1945     World War II has a profound effect on the Department,especially due to its coastal location. The plant is enclosed with a chain link fence topped by barbed wire, and is locked and guarded each night. Black-out restrictions require all street lights on the Neck and along the waterfront to be turned off. Other lamps are made smaller or are shaded or painted. Street lighting goes back to the "moon schedule" of lighting only during dark nights. Five employees of the Light department enter the armed forces.
 
     
  1946     Emery Goodwin retires in April after 46 years of service. He is succeeded temporarily by Frank E. Snow, then by William Goodwin. Growth of the Town's permanent population shifts peak electric demand to the winter. The Department's generation equipment is now used primarily during winter peak periods, with most energy requirements purchased.  
     
 
1947     A new generator is installed, a Fairbanks Morse Diesel with 1,136 kilowatt output, to handle post-war demand. The next year, a diesel generator from 1938 is rebuilt. Three years later, the last of the plant's steam generation is retired. 		 
     
  1950     Clifton substation, the Town's first, is completed in 1954 while the Department continues upgrading the entire distribution system to higher 4,1600-volt lines. The original wooden horse stable is torn down in 1955 and is replaced by a concrete block garage big enough for 10 cars and trucks. In 1957, Beacon substation is completed and a 23,000-volt line is built from Swampscott to Village Street, as the Town continues its post-war according to newspaper accounts. Light Department generators are able to supply
part of the Town's needs on a rotating basis until the regional power supply is restored. 		 
     
  1969     The Department's offices move from the Rechabite Building on Pleasant Street into much-needed larger quarters above the plant on Commercial Street. Village substation, the Town's third, is energized.  
     
  rechabite.JPG (47268 bytes)  
 

A 1930's view of the Rechabite Building,
home of the Light Department's business office until 1969.

  
     



 

1970 - 1975     A second 23,000-volt line from Salem to the new Village substation brings increased reliability in 1970, the same year Richard Bailey is named manager. A new generation station is approved at the 1973 Town Meeting, and goes on-line in 1975. The new Wilkins station has two 2,750 -kilowatt generators used during peak use periods to hold down costs and assure reliability.