On June 6, 2026,the city of Livermore celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Centennial Light Bulb at Fire Station 6. This carbon-filament lamp has remained lit almost continuously since 1901, coinciding with the city's own 150th-anniversary festivities.

From 60 Watts to a 4-Watt Glow

The Centennial Bulb, a mill-type incandescent lamp, was produced by the Shelby Electric Company of Shelby, Ohio, around 1899-1900. According to the report, the lamp originally drew 60 watts but now operates on approximately four watts, emitting about 16 lumens. This significant decline in power usage highlights the unique, slow-burning nature of the carbon-filament technology employed by the Shelby Electric Company.

This gradual degradation of the filament allows the bulb to persist far beyond the lifespan of modern lighting. By operating at a fraction of its original intensity, the Centennial Bulb avoids the thermal stress that typically leads to the failure of incandescent filaments, turning a piece of industrial equipment into a long-term historical artifact.

Mayor John Marchand's Fire-Axe Cake and the 150th Anniversary

To mark the occasion, the city of Livermore hosted a community celebration at the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Station 6 featuring a cake shaped like a fire axe, commissioned by Mayor John Marchand. The event was part of a broader month-long series of festivities marking the 150th anniversary of Livermore. As the report says,the gathering included speeches from Fire Chief Aaron Lacey, Vice Mayor Kristie Wang, and councilmembers Steven Dunbar and Ben Barrientos.

The festivities were designed to blend local history with community spirit, featuring a barbecue with hot dogs and cupcakes. Musicians from the local ensemble Element 116, directed by Matt Finders, performed original pieces composed specifically for the anniversary. Attendees viewed the glowing bulb alongside a timeline tracing significant events in both Livermore and the United States over the past 125 years,emphasizing the lamp's role as a witness to a century of change.

Tom Bramell's 53-Year Watch Over the Filament

Retired Deputy Fire Chief Tom Bramell, 78, has served as the official keeper of the Centennial Bulb for over two decades. Bramell first began working under the lamp more than 53 years ago when he joined the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, creating a multi-generational chain of custody for the artifact. His tenure as caretaker represents the city's institutional commitment to preserving the lamp's continuity.

To ensure the lamp's longevity, the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Station 6 has installed a dedicated backup power system to prevent any outages from extinguishing the historic filament. This infrastructure investment underscores the city's view of the bulb not merely as a light source, but as a critical piece of electrical heritage that must be protected from the instabilities of the modern power grid.

The 1901 Donation from Dennis Bernal

The lamp's journey began when the Shelby Electric Company shipped the bulb to Dennis Bernal, the owner of the Livermore Power and Light Company, in the late 1890s. Bernal donated the bulb to the fire department in 1901, where it was initially used to light a hose-cart house. This was an era before motorized fire engines, and the bulb provided a practical source of illumination for the department's early equipment.

This donation reflects the inventive spirit of the early 20th century, where electrical lighting was a burgeoning technology. By preserving the bulb, the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department maintains a living link to the early days of electric illumination and the foundational infrastructure of the city's emergency services.

What happened during the 1976 power gap?

While the Centennial Bulb has burned almost continuously since 1901, it experienced a brief power loss during a 1976 relocation from Station 1 on First and McLeod streets to its current home at Station 6.. The report does not specify the exact duration of this outage or the technical reasons why the restart did not cause the aged carbon filament to snap, which is a common failure point for old incandescent bulbs.

Furthermore, the source does not provide the technical specifications of the current backup power system or clarify if any other Shelby Electric Company bulbs from this era still exist. Whether this bulb is a statistical anomaly or a result of specific manufacturing tolerances remains an open question for electrical historians.