History Told by a Light Bulb and a Cannonball

Being an intern at a historical museum means you run into at least one interesting item every day. Lucky for me, that number has been closer to five or six, and the list has yet to stop.

You also quickly find out that seemingly mundane objects are far from such, even a light bulb. The antique electric light blub below featured at the Waterford Historical Museum holds an important piece of local history. Its faded GE logo symbolizes the Capital Region's engineering advancements at General Electric in Schenectady, New York.

Electric light bulb (c. early 20th century), at the Waterford Museum

General Electric was founded in 1892 after the Edison General Electric Company in Schenectady merged with the Thomas-Houston Company in Lynn, Massachusetts. Thomas Edison, leader of the Edison General Electric Company and, more famously, the inventor of the electric light bulb, combined forces with his competitor once realizing that neither company could run solely off their respective patents. In other words, they needed each other's technology and rights to technologies for production. The companies' merge became GE, which was sealed with an official monogram seen on many GE lightbulbs, both antique and current.

General Electric in Schenectady. To the left you can see the famous GE logo.

The Schenectady GE building served as headquarters for many years, meaning the company's innovation in energy and lighting took place right here in the Capital Region. This is why a GE lightbulb goes beyond scientific or practical significance - it represents the powerful contributions of Albany's surrounding towns.

Continuing on the theme powerful contributions, the Capital Region had a prominent military role during the Revolutionary War, as most residents of the area already know. The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 was a turning point for the colonists in their fight for freedom from the British Empire. As the name suggests, the pivotal battle took place in Saratoga Springs, just 35 miles north of Albany.

Map of Peebles Island State Park

Peebles Island has some great walking trails!

It is accessible by bridge at the Waterford Harbor Visitor Center

But what some people may NOT know is that Peebles Island in Waterford acted as a "plan B" fortress if the Battle of Saratoga went South (quite literally).


In 1777, British general John Burgoyne began putting his plan to capture Albany into action. His military advances prompted the colonists to fortify Peebles Island given its strategic location of where the Mohawk River and Hudson River meet.


The colonists' victory at the Battle of Saratoga put an end to General Burgoyne's advances, so the reinforcements at Peebles Island were not needed.


The Capital Region's significance in the American Revolution is perfectly captured by two cannonballs preserved by the Waterford Museum. They probably originate from the 18th century, the time of the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War, and are made from cast iron, making them surprisingly heavy.

Two cast iron cannon balls, at the Waterford Museum

Cannonballs such as these were part of the artillery used by both the colonist and the British armies in the Revolutionary War. With cannons, the cast iron projectiles could be shot at distances between 600 and 1800 yards - that's up to eighteen football fields!

It is easy to assume that items such as light bulbs and cannonballs have only practical purposes, but as you can see, that assumption is false. Not only do they contribute to the larger historical narrative beyond their invention, but they also have direct ties to Albany history. To learn more about these stories, visit the Waterford Museum where material history, as well as local and canal history, is always appreciated and proudly on display.

Read more at:
http://www.ge.com/transformation/#leadership
https://www.ge.com/about-us/history/thomas-edison
http://thelessonlocker.com/materials/history/weapons_of_war.pdf
http://revolutionaryday.com/usroute4/peebles/default.htm
http://www.americanrevolution.org/artillery.php