In response to "Lady Bird" (former first woman) Johnson's plea that utility poles, lines and other overhead equipment were unsightly (1964) manufacturers were began to set up shop in making their gear in light gray to harmonize (blend in) with the sky, nicknamed "beautility".Some makers were quicker to do this than others. By 1970 pretty much all utility equipment was made in this color; the original darker colors were an option for insulators, fuse cutouts, etc.

In this photo are Hingham linemen installing a new transformer in sky gray around 1970. Bucket trucks for the most part lined the utility's fleet however work "on hooks" continued in many instances.

Commencing during the late 1960s, the Hingham utility began to install single phase transformers on the backsides of poles so that they would be less noticed by roadway travellers. This was among the first line construction method changes brought forth by Clyde H. Curtis, general manager and former lineman for the town's utility. Beginning in 1961 solid polymer Hendrix spacer insulators were used for three phase lines. Some of the earlier ones were medium to dark gray. By 1965 all new installations employed light gray ones. Since the vast majority of the town's streets are rather thickly lined by tall trees, line upgrades using Hendrix spacer cable and twisted secondary cable significantly began to reduce outages and also save tree trimming costs. The townspeople not only were pleased with such improved service; they also appreciated the fact that the town's historic trees would need less pruning to safely run the electric lines that ran adjacent to them.

During the late 1960s the town was experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the northern end of town. A new shopping center was built among many other smaller enterprises. The largest and most significant factor in load increase during that period was the acquisition of the large shipbuilding complex in the same area. This 1941 landmark was served by a double-circuit 13 kv "K-Frame" pole line built by the New England Electric System. Please refer to: [id=600816685] and [id=600567674].This line originated in neighboring Weymouth. Since the town did not have the capacity to meet the government's electrical demand needs for this facility, the forementioned private utility became their customer. In 1966 an agreement was reached between the utility and the town whereby the two 13 kv circuits would be metered at the town line transferring ownership to the Hingham utility. Soon thereafter a new substation/switchyard (now gone) was built connecting to it on Beal Street providing additional 4kv and 13kv capacity to the vicinity, including to the massive former shipbuilding area. Although much of the defense work at this location had ceased, there still was a lot of load. Sections were gradually sold by the government to private entities. Some of the mile-long K-frame line physically remained although a lot the former load on it was transferred to a new double-circuit line using huge solid Hendrix spacer insulators. It pararelled along busy Lincoln Street (MA SR 3A). Some of these insulators are still in use.

Fun fact!! Each of the buildings at the Hingham Shipbuilding Yard were individually numbered as soon as they were built. This included a variety of shops, storage buildings, warehouses, etc. Probably the most popular and famous one of all was the Building Number 19. It stood on the westerly end of the complex and was among a group of property the government sold to private parties during the early 1960s. In 1964 an enterprising group of fellows from the Ellis family bought it. They sold all sorts of surplus stuff there that they bought from overstocks, closeouts, insurance companies, natural disasters, etc. You name it, they had it! Thus the retail discount chain "Building #19" was born! Their first store remained in Hingham and through the years the Ellis family expanded their fun, thrifty "eporiums" (as they called them) in other Massachusetts locations as well as in RI and NH. They were in business through 2013 and there hardly is any southern New Englander who never heard of them. Their advertisements and fliers were sometimes funnier than the daily comics. The chain's slogan was "Have a Cheap Day!" with a Walmart-like yellow smiley icon :-)

Another transmission line transfer took place around 1966 making the water works on S. Pleasant Street a town utility customer. Formerly a 13 kv line owned by the New England Electric System (NEES) fed their large pump house. A c.1915 three-phase single circuit line split from and extended from the NEES lines that crossed through the middle of Hingham serving the Hull Municipal Light Plant. After the acquisition this 1.5 mile stretch was rebuilt by the town using Hendrix spacer cable construction. A very short part near the pumping station remained untouched and retained the original c.1915 insulators and wire. This was removed in the 1990s and I was fortunate to acquire some of the insulators with their old No. 6 solid wire on Thomas insulators still tied to them. Photographs of these and other interesting artifacts saved from these historic lines will follow at a future date.