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Milwaukee Industrial Electricians Fit into the Fold of History

For over 130 years, Terminal Andrae has been the leading electrical engineering company in Southeastern Wisconsin. We were the first electrical contractors and we continue to offer the best service exceeding your expectations.

The path to harnessing electricity to provide a safe and efficient product for families across the world is long; dating back to 600 BC. The lightbulb changed the way people lived. They were no longer forced to use kerosene lamps, which were responsible for many fires. Below is a timeline of the history of turning electricity into one of the main things we count on today. 

Timeline for the History of Electricity

600 BC

Thales of Miletus writes about amber becoming charged when rubbing it. We refer to this now as static electricity.

1600

William Gilbert, an English scientist coined the term “electricity” originating from the Greek word, “elektron”, meaning “amber”.

1660

Otto von Guericke invented a machine to produce static electricity.

1675

Robert Boyle discovered electric force can be transmitted through a vacuum.

1723

Stephen Gray discovered the conduction of electricity

1733

Charles Francois du Fay discovered resinous (-) and vitreous (+) later to be renamed positive and negative.

1745

The first electrical capacitor what invented by a Dutch physicist, Georg Von Kleist, after he discovered electricity could be controlled.

1752

Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, while proving lightning was electricity with a kite and key.

1800

The first electric battery was invented by Alessandro Volta. He also demonstrated that electricity could travel over wires.

1816

First energy utility was founded.

1820

D.F. Argo invented the electromagnet.

1821

First electric motor invented by Michael Faraday.

1826

Ohms law, “conduction law that relates potential, current, and circuit resistance” was written.

1837

The first industrial electric motor was invented.

1841

J. P. Joule's law of electrical heating was published.

1860s

Terminal Andrae was founded by Julius Andrae, called Andrae Electric

1873

Thomas Edison finances the development and building of the first electricity generating plant in New York City.

1890's

Nikola Tesla lights the World Fair in Chicago, and then later builds the world's first hydro-electric power plant in Niagra Falls.

1920

By 1920, all of the country’s major cities had competing electrical companies, (both with their own poles and wire).

 The age of electricity has arrived.

1989

Andrae Electric merged with Terminal Electric, and we adopted a new name, Terminal-Andrae.

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