Frank Julian Sprague

Frank Julian Sprague was born on July 25, 1857, in Milford, Connecticut. Shortly after birth, Frank Sprague moved to North Adams, MA, where he spent the majority of his life. Although it was not his birthplace, North Adams was a key part of Sprague’s life. It was in North Adams where he had the gift of being surrounded by a community rich in mechanical and industrial engineering as well as bringing Sprague Electric, which was key to the Northern Berkshire workforce and economy. From an early age, Frank Sprague had a strong interest in mathematics and mechanics. He pursued his interests through his own self-study, which allowed him to gain the knowledge to be able to attend the United States Naval Academy in Maryland. Upon graduating, Sprague was given the position of a naval officer and began applying what he had taught himself and learned. It was during these years as an officer that he began to experiment using electrical systems, which would go on to be the work of his life. In the late 1800s, Frank Sprague left his position as a naval officer to work with Thomas Edison at his laboratory in New Jersey. Through his work alongside Edison and other influential engineers of electricity, Sprague added to his understanding of electric systems. Edison focused most of his work inside his laboratory, working on developing patents. Sprague, on the other hand, wanted to apply his knowledge of electrical systems to solve real-world problems. After his work with Edison, Sprague wanted to branch out on his own, so he founded the Sprague Electric Railway & Motor Company in 1884. His first major development came in 1888 when he successfully built the first electric streetcar system in Virginia. Sprague’s development of the electric streetcar system greatly improved public transportation. It also proved that electric streetcars would be a faster, cleaner, and more financially friendly option for public transportation. After first being implemented in Virginia, his developments would soon begin to spread to cities across the entire globe. In addition to developing streetcars, Sprague also developed electric elevators, which made it possible to travel between floors of large buildings very quickly. Without this, we probably would not have much of the urban development we have today. Later in his life, Sprague helped his son Robert start the Sprague Electric Company in Quincy, MA, before moving to North Adams, MA, where he had grown up. His company eventually became a major part of the Berkshire economy and a major employer in the region for much of the 20th century. The company was a plant for manufacturing key electronic components, mainly capacitors. Frank Sprague passed away in 1934, but his legacy lives on in both North Adams as well as every elevator and streetcar ride across the country. He was an engineer fitst, but he also became a visionary for the future of electrical systems. Without Sprague's key developments, North Adams and urban America would not be shaped in the way it is today.