WASCO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Most of the farming community in Wasco County did not have electricity in 1940. Pacific Power and Light Company ran its power lines from town to town, but it was very expensive for farms along the way to be hooked up... Eric Johnson, a rancher who lived near The Dalles, could see the power lines from his house, but could not get service. He decided to meet with some of his neighbors to try to get electricity for the farmers. They met for the first time on April 4, 1940 in the Dufur City Hall and elected the Board of Incorporators, who served as the first board of directors of the cooperative. R.N. Kortge was hired as coordinator, and his duty was to sign up the farmers of the county as members of the co-op. The memberships were $5 at that time, as they still are today... These first members were informed of the loan funds available through the Federal Rural Electrication Administration (REA) program which had gone into effect May 11, 1935. By June of 1940, the farmers had hired an..

Also known as: Wasco Electric, Wasco Electric Cooperative, Inc

Primary location: The Dalles United States