A modest symbol of tenacity resists the test of time in a peaceful area in Livermore, California. This remarkable lightbulb, called the Centennial Light, has been lighting up its surrounds for more than 120 years and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-burning lightbulb ever.
The Centennial Light’s exact manufacturing date is unknown, however it was donated to the Livermore Fire Department in 1901. Its consistent orange glow, however, has come to represent the resilience of early 20th-century engineering. The thick carbon filament of the Shelby Electric Company’s hand-blown bulb is vacuum-housed, preventing it from wearing out as quickly as contemporary tungsten-based lamps.
Unlike today’s incandescent bulbs, which succumb to frequent on-and-off cycles, the Centennial Light has remained continuously lit, barring a few interruptions. These include power failures and a week-long hiatus during renovations in the 1930s under President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration.
The lengthened life of the bulb drew public interest in the 1970s following a local newspaper investigation. Since then, it has increasingly become viewed as a symbol of persistence, even celebrated with its own live webcam feed and over a million documented hours of service. In 2021, Martin Kykta, an electro-optics expert, studied the light bulb and declared that if it can continue emitting just 4 watts, it could shine for another century.
Present-day LED bulbs claim to have a longevity of up to 100,000 hours-far exceeding traditional incandescents, though falling short of the Centennial Light. Technological progress leaves the Shelby bulb shining a beacon attesting to the times when quality labor meant long-lasting products. Though small in stature, the Centennial Light outshines its competition in every sense, proving that even in a rapidly changing world, some lights are destined to burn forever.
