60 Years of Penn Lines
in FOCUS
With a single photo, we can show in an instant what might otherwise take an entire page of words to tell. With 60 years behind us, Penn Lines has amassed a treasure trove of stories — nearly all accompanied by photographs that capture the essence of each tale.
As these images have been gathered and archived over the decades, they reveal — in black and white and color, too — the growth of rural electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. They also trace the evolution of Penn Lines itself, from a newsletter focused on energy and politics to a news magazine celebrating and reporting on rural Pennsylvania, its people, and places. Much has changed over the years, but one thing remains the same: Penn Lines will always be the magazine you come home to.
1960s
The earliest issues of Penn Lines focused on the politics of rural electrification and efforts to level the playing field for rural communities, not just in Pennsylvania, but across the nation and even around the globe.
1970s
In its second decade, Penn Lines began showing more of the communities and the members at the end of the line.
1980s
The pages of Penn Lines during this decade reflected on the history of rural electrification, as well as new efforts from both the distribution cooperatives and Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc., the wholesale energy provider for cooperatives.
1990s
Penn Lines became more colorful, adding feature stories ranging from member hobbies and conservation efforts to political representation. And, of course, photos printed regularly in full color.
2000s
This decade, marking the end of the 20th century, brought more photos into Penn Lines as the magazine highlighted stories about growing industries and timeless attractions.
2010s
Penn Lines maintained its look and feel throughout the second decade of the 21st century, covering emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles and broadband deployment, while taking a look back at how rural traditions, like beekeeping and volunteer fire companies, were keeping up with the times.
2020s
Early into this decade, Penn Lines went through another redesign. We’re only halfway through, and we’ve already shown rural life during a pandemic, explored the best-kept secrets of the Commonwealth and gotten ourselves into some crazy competitions. But even with a new look and new stories to tell, we still draw strength from remembering where we’ve come from and what our rural communities have been through the past 60 years.
