Columbia Lighting Passes Key Milestone

Sat., May 2, 1998

From Staff

Columbia Lighting entered the electric light bulb market 19 years after Thomas Edison’s landmark invention.

The Spokane Valley company - now a subsidiary of U.S. Industries - is celebrating its 100th anniversary, commemorating the numerous transitions throughout company history.

Edison used carbonized filaments from cotton thread as his conductor. The first bulb burned for two days.

In 1898, the company set out to improve on that. It was founded under the name Doerr-Mitchell, after German immigrant Rudolph Doerr and Spokane electrician Joseph R. Mitchell.

In 1923, Eric A. Johnston took over the company, and it was renamed the Brown-Johnston Co.

In 1940, during World War II, the company switched gears, producing 12 million projectile casings for the war effort.

After the war, the company became a leader in the fluorescent lighting market, which it still is today.

Columbia Lighting now employs 1,400 people nationwide, including 620 in the Spokane Valley.

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Columbia Lighting Passes Key Milestone

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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