Light on the Land

Kerosene lanterns were one of the revolutionary inventions that helped make the USA an agricultural powerhouse. They helped farmers get in harvests before a storm hit and tend to livestock at night, such as helping with the difficult delivery of a calf. Edwin Dietz invented the device that gave off a long lasting and bright light. Standard oil magnate John D. Rockefeller cornered the market by offering farmers a kerosene with a standard flammability that could be counted on to be bright but not explosive. Previos brands were less dependable--less standard.