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Conectiv, Inc. photographs

Creation: circa 1940-1982
 Collection
Accession: 2000-237

Abstract

Conectiv, Inc. is a holding company formed in 1998 by the merger of Atlantic Electric Incorporated and Delmarva Power and Light Company, two large regional power utilities that supplied Southern New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula. The majority of the images in this collection come from the Delmarva Power and Light Company (DP&L), a predecessor of Conectiv, Inc. The images can generally be divided into three categories: DP&L equipment and facilities, DP&L employees, and views of buildings, both commercial and residential, throughout northern Delaware.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1940-1982

Creator

Extent

6 Linear Feet

Physical Description

1699 photographic prints : b&w ; 8 x 10 in., 58 photographic prints : color ; 8 x 10 in., 529 photographic prints : b&w ; 5 x 7 in., 17 photographic prints : color ; 5 x 7 in., 552 photographic prints : b&w ; 19 x 19 cm. or smaller, 2 photographic prints : color ; 16 x 19 cm. or smaller, 8 negatives : b&w ; 8 x 10 in., 37 negatives : b&w ; 4 x 5 in., 16 negatives : color ; 4 x 5 in or smaller, 1064 negatives : b&w ; 35mm.,180 negatives : b&w, color ; 120 mm., 118 contact sheets : b&w ; 11 x 14 in. or smaller, 16 slides : color ; 35 mm. 11 transparencies : color ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller, 1 item : blueprint 57 x 93 cm. and 18 items.

Historical Note

Conectiv, Inc. is a holding company formed in 1998 by the merger of Atlantic Electric Incorporated and Delmarva Power and Light Company, two large regional power utilities that supplied Southern New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula. Almost all the images in this collection came originally from the corporate archive of the Delmarva Power and Light Company.

Delmarva Power and Light Company is a regulated energy company that provides electricity and natural gas services to customers in the Delmarva Peninsula. The company was founded in 1909 as Delaware Power & Light; however, its beginnings can be traced to the 1880s when a number of small power companies sprang up to provide electric service to the Delmarva Peninsula. These companies continued appearing over the next two decades, including Wilmington City Electric, Delaware Electric Company, Tasley Ice Company, the Phoenix Company, and Wilmington Light and Telephone Company. All of these small providers had either folded or consolidated by 1928 into two large companies. The remaining companies were Delaware Power and Light, headquartered in Wilmington, and Eastern Shore Gas and Electric, which controlled power on the lower Delmarva Peninsula. The two companies merged in 1943. In 1966, the utility changed its name to Delmarva Power and Light.

Today, Delmarva Power is a subidiary of the Exelon Company, and Conectiv Energy is a subsidiary of the Calpine Corporation.

Scope and Content

The majority of the images in this collection come from the Delmarva Power and Light Company (DP&L), a predecessor of Conectiv, Inc. The images can generally be divided into three categories: DP&L equipment and facilities, DP&L employees, and views of buildings, both commercial and residential, throughout northern Delaware. DP&L facilities pictured include power plants at Edgemoor, Delaware City, and along the Indian River in Delaware. There are also a series of photographs of nuclear plants in Vienna, Maryland and Salem, New Jersey. Exterior and interior views of DP&L offices in Wilmington include photographs of the sales floor at the 600 Market Street office and three decades-worth of window displays advertising electric appliances and heating systems. Images of the DP&L office building at 800 King Street include its construction, the move from 600 Market Street, and the building's dedication. Smaller DP&L offices and substations throughout the state are also featured. Finally, electrical equipment, power lines, towers and wiring are featured in a number of photographs.

DP&L employees are featured in many of the above photographs, particularly in images of construction and the installation of power lines and equipment. Employee safety classes and training sessions are also featured. Candid images of employee leisure activities include company picnics and images from Quarter Century Club banquets. Most of the employee photographs in this collection, however, are posed individual or group portraits, a significant portion of which are identified.

The remaining portion of the collection is comprised of images of buildings throughout northern Delaware. These include structures in downtown Wilmington, especially buildings along Market Street and in the area of Rodney Square. The Grand Opera House is featured in a number of images, both before and after its restoration. Aerial images of the city are also included, many of which were taken before the Interstate 95 construction. Numerous commercial, industrial and residential areas outside of Wilmington, which were served by DP&L electricity, are also featured in the collection. These photographs include aerial views of Prices Corner, Merchandise Mart, and the Tri-State Mall, as well as street views of other stores around Wilmington. Industries served by DP&L include the Diamond Shamrock Chemical Company, Atlas Chemical Industries, General Motors and the Phoenix Steel Corporation. A selection of historical materials, including corporate timelines, newsletters and company press releases round out the collection.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

Language of Materials

English

Related Names

Subject

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
Conectiv, Inc. photographs
Date:
2013
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400