Edward C. Kilbourne
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (June 2008) |
Edward Corliss Kilbourne (1856–1959) was the founder of the Seattle public electricity system.
Kilbourne was born in Vermont in 1856 and was raised in Aurora, Illinois. He lived in Colorado before moving out to Seattle where he had been preceded by his uncle Corliss P. Stone. Kilbourne was trained as a dentist but became active in numerous other fields of endeavor.
Together with his uncle Corliss P. Stone he was the developer of city of Fremont, annexed in 1891 to become a neighborhood of Seattle. He was a pioneer in urban mass transit having founded a horse trolley line.
He was the founder of the first electric railway in Seattle. He and his uncle Corliss Stone were among the founders of the Union Electric Company. After it was acquired by the city Kilbourne became superintendent of the Seattle Lighting Department, a municipal electricity system, later Seattle City Light. He also supported the YMCA after the original backer Dexter Horton had withdrawn his support and was involved with the Plymouth Congregational Church of Seattle.
References[edit]
External links[edit]
- Edward Corliss Kilbourne papers - Special Collections, UW Libraries Archived 2010-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
- HistoryLink Essay: Kilbourne, Edward Corliss (1856-1959)
- HistoryLink Essay: Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) of Greater Seattle -- Part 1: Beginnings
- HistoryLink Essay: Frank Osgood tests Seattle's first electric streetcars on March 30, 1889.
- Department of Neighborhoods - Historical Site Green Lake Park