Reeve Electric Association Plant, Power plant museum in Hampton, Iowa.
The Reeve Electric Association Plant is a power plant museum in Hampton that displays the original diesel generators and the story of electricity distribution in rural areas. The facility shows how power reached farming communities and surrounding towns nearly a century ago.
The facility was founded in 1937 as the first farmer-owned power plant in the United States to receive support from the Rural Electrification Administration. The diesel-powered operation began supplying electricity to six Iowa counties the following year.
The exhibits show how electricity changed life for farming families and brought modern appliances into rural homes. Visitors can see what everyday things became possible through this technology.
The museum is operated by the Franklin County Historical Society and offers tours through the generator hall. Visitors should allow time to view the old equipment up close and understand the technical work involved in powering rural communities back then.
Four original diesel generators from the 1930s still stand in the building and can be inspected by visitors. These are the same machines that once powered electricity into surrounding farms and villages.
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