Atlanta Gas Light Company

The Atlanta Gas Light Company was established on 16 February 1856 by William Helme, Julius A. Hayden, William N. Kirkpatrick, Adolph J. Brady, William C Lawshe, and Cicero H. Strong. Several cities in Georgia already had gas service in 1856 including Athens, Augusta, Macon, and Savannah, but Atlanta had neither the capital nor the know-how until William Helme entered talks with Atlanta's city council in 1855. The company is the oldest corporation in Atlanta and the second oldest in the state of Georgia. After a series of mergers beginning in 1927, Atlanta Gas Light Company acquired holdings in Macon, Augusta, Griffin, Rome, Athens, Brunswick, Valdosta, Waycross, and Savannah with Atlanta Gas Light prevailing as the continuing corporation. Extracted from Keeper of the Flame: The Story of the Atlanta Gas Light Company, 1856-1985 by James H. Tate.

Savannah Gas Company was established in December 1848. Its plant for processing and distributing gas was completed in 1850. Known as "Savannah's oldest public servant," the company has merged with Atlanta Gas Light and provides services under that corporate name.

The Atlanta Gas Light Company was incorporated in February 1856 to provide gas streetlights for Atlanta. It is the oldest continuously operated company in the city of Atlanta and the second oldest company in the state of Georgia. It functioned as an independent company until 1889 when the United Gas Improvement Company of Philadelphia gained control of the company through a stock purchase. The Atlanta Gas Light Company was a subsidiary of a holding company for the next 58 years. Successive parent companies were Georgia Railway and Electric Company (1903), Georgia Railway and Power Company (1920), Georgia Power Company (1927), Central Public Service Corporation of Chicago (1929), United States Electric and Gas Company of New York (1932), and Consolidated Electric and Gas (1933), which was also based in New York. United States Electric and Gas and Consolidated Electric and Gas were subsidiaries of Central Public Service. In 1947 the Atlanta Gas Light Company again became independent and remained so until 1996 when AGL Resources Inc. was formed to be a holding company for Atlanta Gas Light Company, Virginia Natural Gas, Chattanooga Gas Company, AGL Energy Services, and several non-utility subsidiaries.

Throughout its existence, the Atlanta Gas Light Company has been governed by a Board of Directors and managed by a President and other officers. Presidents include Julius A. Hayden, John W. Duncan, Thomas G. Healey, John H. Mecaslin, William L. Cosgrove, G. W. Brine, Albert E. Peirce, Luke C. Bradley, W. W. Winter, H. Carl Wolf, Rock G. Taber, Duncan A. Crawford, Wallace L. Lee, Joe T. LaBoon, and David R. Jones. Until the deregulation of the natural gas market in Georgia in 1998, the Atlanta Gas Light Company sold natural gas directly to customers in addition to other products and services. The company now operates and maintains the gas pipes, reads meters, maintains the natural gas infrastructure, and distributes gas to certified marketers.

The Atlanta Gas Light Company was incorporated in February 1856 to provide gas streetlights for Atlanta. It is the oldest continuously operated company in the city of Atlanta and the second oldest company in the state of Georgia. It functioned as an independent company until 1889 when the United Gas Improvement Company of Philadelphia gained control of the company through a stock purchase. The Atlanta Gas Light Company was a subsidiary of a holding company for the next 58 years. Successive parent companies were Georgia Railway and Electric Company (1903), Georgia Railway and Power Company (1920), Georgia Power Company (1927), Central Public Service Corporation of Chicago (1929), United States Electric and Gas Company of New York (1932), and Consolidated Electric and Gas (1933), which was also based in New York. United States Electric and Gas and Consolidated Electric and Gas were subsidiaries of Central Public Service. In 1947 the Atlanta Gas Light Company again became independent and remained so until 1996 when AGL Resources Inc. was formed to be a holding company for Atlanta Gas Light Company, Virginia Natural Gas, Chattanooga Gas Company, AGL Energy Services, and several non-utility subsidiaries.

Throughout its existence, the Atlanta Gas Light Company has been governed by a Board of Directors and managed by a President and other officers. Presidents include Julius A. Hayden, John W. Duncan, Thomas G. Healey, John H. Mecaslin, William L. Cosgrove, G. W. Brine, Albert E. Peirce, Luke C. Bradley, W. W. Winter, H. Carl Wolf, Rock G. Taber, Duncan A. Crawford, Wallace L. Lee, Joe T. LaBoon, and David R. Jones. Until the deregulation of the natural gas market in Georgia in 1998, the Atlanta Gas Light Company sold natural gas directly to customers in addition to other products and services. The company now operates and maintains the gas pipes, reads meters, maintains the natural gas infrastructure, and distributes gas to certified marketers.