Known as arc lamps, these became the first practical electric lights.
New Orleans Riverfront electrically luminated at night, 1883.
A total of 6 arc lights were installed boasting a total light output of 24,000 candlepower.
Inspired by San Jose, many American and European cities began putting up lighting towers.
These came to be known as Moonlight Towers because the way it mimicked the shining moon.
One of the main disadvantages of Moonlight Towers was they needed to be serviced throughout the night.
The heights of the towers posed additional climbing challenge.
In most American cities, the lighting towers only complemented gas and oil lamps.
Detroit was the only large city in the US lighted wholly and exclusively by the tower system.
A moonlight tower in front of City Hall, Detroit, Michigan, about 1900.
It was the best-lighted city in the world.
The numbers doubled in another ten years and tripled in five more years.
Arc lamps were in use until around 1920s.
By then Edison had substantially improved incandescent lamps that used filaments.
Eventually, incandescent lamps and later halogen lamps replaced arc lamps.
Most lighting towers were demolished during the first two decades of the 20th century.
Some collapsed during storms and tornados.
The city originally purchased 31 moonlight towers from Detroit.
