Friday, December 13, 2024

Question: What festive holiday decoration was invented in Denver in 1914?

Answer: Denver is the birthplace of outdoor multi-colored holiday lights.

David Dwight (D.D.) Sturgeon, founder of Sturgeon Electric, painted light bulbs in different colors, strung them on a line and hung them on a tree to cheer up his sick grandson.

The display attracted local attention, becoming the first outdoor electric holiday lights. By 1919, Denver’s city electrician, John Malpiede, adopted the idea, replacing City Hall’s lights with colored bulbs and creating the city’s first public holiday display.