sentences.text: The Centennial Light is the world's longest-lasting light bulb.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: Centennial
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: world
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: longest-lasting
sentences.text: light
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: It is at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California, and maintained by the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: 4550
sentences.text: East
sentences.text: Avenue
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: California
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: maintained
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Livermore-Pleasanton
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The fire department claims that the bulb is at least 107 years old and has been turned off only a handful of times.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: department
sentences.text: claims
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: least
sentences.text: 107
sentences.text: years
sentences.text: old
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: turned
sentences.text: off
sentences.text: only
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: handful
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: times
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Due to its longevity, the bulb has been noted by The Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and General Electric.
sentences.text: Due
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: longevity
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: noted
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: Guinness
sentences.text: Book
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: World
sentences.text: Records
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Ripley
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Believe
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: or
sentences.text: Not
sentences.text: !
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: General
sentences.text: Electric
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The Centennial Light is a four-watt, hand-blown, carbon-filament, common light bulb manufactured in Shelby, Ohio, by the Shelby Electric Company in the late 1890s; many just like it still exist and can be found functioning.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: Centennial
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: four-watt
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: hand-blown
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: carbon-filament
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: common
sentences.text: light
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: manufactured
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Shelby
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Ohio
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Shelby
sentences.text: Electric
sentences.text: Company
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: late
sentences.text: 1890s
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: many
sentences.text: just
sentences.text: like
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: still
sentences.text: exist
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: can
sentences.text: be
sentences.text: found
sentences.text: functioning
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: According to Zylpha Bernal Beck, the bulb was donated to the Fire Department by her father, Dennis Bernal in 1901.
sentences.text: According
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: Zylpha
sentences.text: Bernal
sentences.text: Beck
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: donated
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: her
sentences.text: father
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Dennis
sentences.text: Bernal
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 1901
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Bernal owned the Livermore Power and Water Company and donated the bulb to the fire station when he sold the company.
sentences.text: Bernal
sentences.text: owned
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: Power
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: Water
sentences.text: Company
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: donated
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: station
sentences.text: when
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: sold
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: company
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: That story has been supported by firefighter volunteers of that era.
sentences.text: That
sentences.text: story
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: supported
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: firefighter
sentences.text: volunteers
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: era
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb's history is difficult to ascertain, although evidence suggests the bulb has hung in at least four locations.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: history
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: difficult
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: ascertain
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: although
sentences.text: evidence
sentences.text: suggests
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: hung
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: at
sentences.text: least
sentences.text: four
sentences.text: locations
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: It was originally hung in 1901 in a hose cart house on L Street, then moved to a garage in downtown Livermore used by the fire and police departments.
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: originally
sentences.text: hung
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 1901
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: hose
sentences.text: cart
sentences.text: house
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: L
sentences.text: Street
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: then
sentences.text: moved
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: garage
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: downtown
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: used
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: police
sentences.text: departments
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: When the fire department consolidated, it was moved again to a newly constructed City Hall that housed the unified departments.
sentences.text: When
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: department
sentences.text: consolidated
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: moved
sentences.text: again
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: newly
sentences.text: constructed
sentences.text: City
sentences.text: Hall
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: housed
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: unified
sentences.text: departments
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Its unusual longevity was first noticed in 1972 by reporter Mike Dunstan.
sentences.text: Its
sentences.text: unusual
sentences.text: longevity
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: first
sentences.text: noticed
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 1972
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: reporter
sentences.text: Mike
sentences.text: Dunstan
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: After weeks of interviewing people who had lived in Livermore all their lives, he wrote " Light Bulb May Be World's Oldest ", published in the Tri-Valley Herald.
sentences.text: After
sentences.text: weeks
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: interviewing
sentences.text: people
sentences.text: who
sentences.text: had
sentences.text: lived
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: all
sentences.text: their
sentences.text: lives
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: he
sentences.text: wrote
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: Bulb
sentences.text: May
sentences.text: Be
sentences.text: World
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Oldest
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: published
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Tri-Valley
sentences.text: Herald
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The article came to the attention of Charles Kuralt of the TV program On the Road with Charles Kuralt.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: article
sentences.text: came
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: attention
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Charles
sentences.text: Kuralt
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: TV
sentences.text: program
sentences.text: On
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Road
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: Charles
sentences.text: Kuralt
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Kuralt contacted Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and General Electric who all confirmed it as the longest-lasting bulb known in existence.
sentences.text: Kuralt
sentences.text: contacted
sentences.text: Guinness
sentences.text: Book
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: World
sentences.text: Records
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Ripley
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Believe
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: or
sentences.text: Not
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: General
sentences.text: Electric
sentences.text: who
sentences.text: all
sentences.text: confirmed
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: longest-lasting
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: known
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: existence
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: In 1976, the fire department moved to Fire Station #6 with the bulb; the bulb's cord was severed for fear that unscrewing it could damage it.
sentences.text: In
sentences.text: 1976
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: department
sentences.text: moved
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Station
sentences.text: #
sentences.text: 6
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: cord
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: severed
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: fear
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: unscrewing
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: could
sentences.text: damage
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: It was deprived of electricity for only 22 minutes during the transfer, which was made in a specially designed box and with full firetruck escort.
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: deprived
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: electricity
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: only
sentences.text: 22
sentences.text: minutes
sentences.text: during
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: transfer
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: which
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: made
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: specially
sentences.text: designed
sentences.text: box
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: full
sentences.text: firetruck
sentences.text: escort
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: An electrician was on hand to install the bulb into the new fire station's emergency generator.
sentences.text: An
sentences.text: electrician
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: hand
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: install
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: into
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: new
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: station
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: emergency
sentences.text: generator
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Ripley's Believe It Or Not stated that the short delay would not mar the bulb's continuous burning record.
sentences.text: Ripley
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Believe
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: Or
sentences.text: Not
sentences.text: stated
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: short
sentences.text: delay
sentences.text: would
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: mar
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: continuous
sentences.text: burning
sentences.text: record
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: In 2001, the bulb's 100th birthday was celebrated with a community barbecue and live music.
sentences.text: In
sentences.text: 2001
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: 100th
sentences.text: birthday
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: celebrated
sentences.text: with
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: community
sentences.text: barbecue
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: live
sentences.text: music
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: As of 2006, the bulb has been continuously lit for 30 years.
sentences.text: As
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: 2006
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: continuously
sentences.text: lit
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: 30
sentences.text: years
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb is cared for by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: cared
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Centennial
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: Bulb
sentences.text: Committee
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: partnership
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Livermore-Pleasanton
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: Heritage
sentences.text: Guild
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Lawrence
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: National
sentences.text: Laboratories
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: Sandia
sentences.text: National
sentences.text: Laboratories
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department plans to house and maintain the bulb for the rest of its life, regardless of length.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: Livermore-Pleasanton
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: plans
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: house
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: maintain
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: rest
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: life
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: regardless
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: length
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: When it does go out, they have no plans for it.
sentences.text: When
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: does
sentences.text: go
sentences.text: out
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: they
sentences.text: have
sentences.text: no
sentences.text: plans
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Ripley's Believe it or Not! has requested it for their museum.
sentences.text: Ripley
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Believe
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: or
sentences.text: Not
sentences.text: !
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: requested
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: their
sentences.text: museum
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb's long life has been attributed to its low power, near continuous operation, and dedicated power supply.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: long
sentences.text: life
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: attributed
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: low
sentences.text: power
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: near
sentences.text: continuous
sentences.text: operation
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: dedicated
sentences.text: power
sentences.text: supply
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb was officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as " the Most Durable Light ", in 1972, replacing another bulb in Fort Worth, Texas.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: officially
sentences.text: listed
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Guinness
sentences.text: Book
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: World
sentences.text: Records
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Most
sentences.text: Durable
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: "
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 1972
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: replacing
sentences.text: another
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: Fort
sentences.text: Worth
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Texas
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb was listed in the book for the next 16 editions.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: listed
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: book
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: next
sentences.text: 16
sentences.text: editions
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: It was not listed during 1988 2006, without a reason being given, before returning in 2007.
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: not
sentences.text: listed
sentences.text: during
sentences.text: 1988
sentences.text: 2006
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: without
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: reason
sentences.text: being
sentences.text: given
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: before
sentences.text: returning
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: 2007
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: According to the fire chief, every few months a news outlet will publish a story on the bulb, generating visitors and general interest, then it will drop back into obscurity for a while.
sentences.text: According
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: fire
sentences.text: chief
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: every
sentences.text: few
sentences.text: months
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: news
sentences.text: outlet
sentences.text: will
sentences.text: publish
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: story
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: generating
sentences.text: visitors
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: general
sentences.text: interest
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: then
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: will
sentences.text: drop
sentences.text: back
sentences.text: into
sentences.text: obscurity
sentences.text: for
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: while
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Dozens of magazines and newspapers have featured articles on the bulb.
sentences.text: Dozens
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: magazines
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: newspapers
sentences.text: have
sentences.text: featured
sentences.text: articles
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb has been visited and featured by many major news channels in the United States, including NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, WB, CNN and NPR.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: been
sentences.text: visited
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: featured
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: many
sentences.text: major
sentences.text: news
sentences.text: channels
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: United
sentences.text: States
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: including
sentences.text: NBC
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: ABC
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: FOX
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: CBS
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: WB
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: CNN
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: NPR
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb has received letters acknowledging and celebrating its longevity from the city of Shelby, Ohio, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, Senator Barbara Boxer, and President George W. Bush.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: received
sentences.text: letters
sentences.text: acknowledging
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: celebrating
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: longevity
sentences.text: from
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: city
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Shelby
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Ohio
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Alameda
sentences.text: County
sentences.text: Board
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: Supervisors
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: California
sentences.text: State
sentences.text: Assembly
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: California
sentences.text: State
sentences.text: Senate
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Congresswoman
sentences.text: Ellen
sentences.text: Tauscher
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Senator
sentences.text: Barbara
sentences.text: Boxer
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: President
sentences.text: George
sentences.text: W.
sentences.text: Bush
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb was featured on an episode of MythBusters on December 13, 2006.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: featured
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: an
sentences.text: episode
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: MythBusters
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: December
sentences.text: 13
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: 2006
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: It was also in the PBS documentary Livermore.
sentences.text: It
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: also
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: PBS
sentences.text: documentary
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: On May 24, 2007, the bulb was Steve Wright's featured webcam of the day on the BBC's Radio 2 website.
sentences.text: On
sentences.text: May
sentences.text: 24
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: 2007
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: Steve
sentences.text: Wright
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: featured
sentences.text: webcam
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: day
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: BBC
sentences.text: 's
sentences.text: Radio
sentences.text: 2
sentences.text: website
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb has its own website, and can be continuously viewed, by webcam, over the Internet.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: has
sentences.text: its
sentences.text: own
sentences.text: website
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: can
sentences.text: be
sentences.text: continuously
sentences.text: viewed
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: webcam
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: over
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Internet
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The site is maintained by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: site
sentences.text: is
sentences.text: maintained
sentences.text: by
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Centennial
sentences.text: Light
sentences.text: Bulb
sentences.text: Committee
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: partnership
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Livermore-Pleasanton
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: Heritage
sentences.text: Guild
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: Lawrence
sentences.text: Livermore
sentences.text: National
sentences.text: Laboratories
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: Sandia
sentences.text: National
sentences.text: Laboratories
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department welcomes visitors to come and see the bulb, but makes no guarantee that officers will be on duty to let them in; if officers are unavailable, visitors are encouraged simply to view it through the window.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: Livermore-Pleasanton
sentences.text: Fire
sentences.text: Department
sentences.text: welcomes
sentences.text: visitors
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: come
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: see
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: but
sentences.text: makes
sentences.text: no
sentences.text: guarantee
sentences.text: that
sentences.text: officers
sentences.text: will
sentences.text: be
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: duty
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: let
sentences.text: them
sentences.text: in
sentences.text: ;
sentences.text: if
sentences.text: officers
sentences.text: are
sentences.text: unavailable
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: visitors
sentences.text: are
sentences.text: encouraged
sentences.text: simply
sentences.text: to
sentences.text: view
sentences.text: it
sentences.text: through
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: window
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: The bulb recently was mentioned on the Opie and Anthony Show as part of a Jim Norton bit.
sentences.text: The
sentences.text: bulb
sentences.text: recently
sentences.text: was
sentences.text: mentioned
sentences.text: on
sentences.text: the
sentences.text: Opie
sentences.text: and
sentences.text: Anthony
sentences.text: Show
sentences.text: as
sentences.text: part
sentences.text: of
sentences.text: a
sentences.text: Jim
sentences.text: Norton
sentences.text: bit
sentences.text: .
sentences.text: Coordinates: 37 40 49 N 121 44 21 W / 37.68028, -121.73917
sentences.text: Coordinates
sentences.text: :
sentences.text: 37
sentences.text: 40
sentences.text: 49
sentences.text: N
sentences.text: 121
sentences.text: 44
sentences.text: 21
sentences.text: W
sentences.text: /
sentences.text: 37.68028
sentences.text: ,
sentences.text: -121.73917
text: The Centennial Light is the world's longest-lasting light bulb. It is at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California, and maintained by the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. The fire department claims that the bulb is at least 107 years old and has been turned off only a handful of times. Due to its longevity, the bulb has been noted by The Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and General Electric. The Centennial Light is a four-watt, hand-blown, carbon-filament, common light bulb manufactured in Shelby, Ohio, by the Shelby Electric Company in the late 1890s; many just like it still exist and can be found functioning. According to Zylpha Bernal Beck, the bulb was donated to the Fire Department by her father, Dennis Bernal in 1901. Bernal owned the Livermore Power and Water Company and donated the bulb to the fire station when he sold the company. That story has been supported by firefighter volunteers of that era. The bulb's history is difficult to ascertain, although evidence suggests the bulb has hung in at least four locations. It was originally hung in 1901 in a hose cart house on L Street, then moved to a garage in downtown Livermore used by the fire and police departments. When the fire department consolidated, it was moved again to a newly constructed City Hall that housed the unified departments. Its unusual longevity was first noticed in 1972 by reporter Mike Dunstan. After weeks of interviewing people who had lived in Livermore all their lives, he wrote " Light Bulb May Be World's Oldest ", published in the Tri-Valley Herald. The article came to the attention of Charles Kuralt of the TV program On the Road with Charles Kuralt. Kuralt contacted Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and General Electric who all confirmed it as the longest-lasting bulb known in existence. In 1976, the fire department moved to Fire Station #6 with the bulb; the bulb's cord was severed for fear that unscrewing it could damage it. It was deprived of electricity for only 22 minutes during the transfer, which was made in a specially designed box and with full firetruck escort. An electrician was on hand to install the bulb into the new fire station's emergency generator. Ripley's Believe It Or Not stated that the short delay would not mar the bulb's continuous burning record. In 2001, the bulb's 100th birthday was celebrated with a community barbecue and live music. As of 2006, the bulb has been continuously lit for 30 years. The bulb is cared for by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department plans to house and maintain the bulb for the rest of its life, regardless of length. When it does go out, they have no plans for it. Ripley's Believe it or Not! has requested it for their museum. The bulb's long life has been attributed to its low power, near continuous operation, and dedicated power supply. The bulb was officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as " the Most Durable Light ", in 1972, replacing another bulb in Fort Worth, Texas. The bulb was listed in the book for the next 16 editions. It was not listed during 1988 2006, without a reason being given, before returning in 2007. According to the fire chief, every few months a news outlet will publish a story on the bulb, generating visitors and general interest, then it will drop back into obscurity for a while. Dozens of magazines and newspapers have featured articles on the bulb. The bulb has been visited and featured by many major news channels in the United States, including NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, WB, CNN and NPR. The bulb has received letters acknowledging and celebrating its longevity from the city of Shelby, Ohio, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, Senator Barbara Boxer, and President George W. Bush. The bulb was featured on an episode of MythBusters on December 13, 2006. It was also in the PBS documentary Livermore. On May 24, 2007, the bulb was Steve Wright's featured webcam of the day on the BBC's Radio 2 website. The bulb has its own website, and can be continuously viewed, by webcam, over the Internet. The site is maintained by the Centennial Light Bulb Committee, a partnership of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Livermore Heritage Guild, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department welcomes visitors to come and see the bulb, but makes no guarantee that officers will be on duty to let them in; if officers are unavailable, visitors are encouraged simply to view it through the window. The bulb recently was mentioned on the Opie and Anthony Show as part of a Jim Norton bit. Coordinates: 37 40 49 N 121 44 21 W / 37.68028, -121.73917