WASHINGTON — A first-of-its-kind Maryland company just turned 200.
On June 17, 1816, a Baltimore artist named Rembrandt Peale incorporated the Gas light Company of Baltimore, the first gas company in the country.
Peale founded the company, which would become Baltimore Gas & Electric, after the successful lighting of gas lamps at his museum on Holiday Street in Baltimore a few days earlier.
As a result, Baltimore became the first American city with gas street lights. Soon after, gas lighting found its way to Baltimore homes.
It wasn’t until 1834 that actual gas meters were installed on residences, replacing what had been a flat rate for gas service.
By 1900, BGE customer bills began to feature ads for gas cooking ranges and other appliances.
In 1925, BGE began opening appliance stores. It also expanded to other businesses, including broadcasting, when it started WBAL Radio.
BGE, and its parent company Constellation Energy, were acquired by Chicago-based Exelon in 2012.
The company now has 3,200 employees, 650,000 gas customers and about 1.3 million electric customers.
Here’s a timeline of BG&E’s history.)
