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The U.S. President Who Was Afraid of Touching Light Switches. Seriously, He Just Left the Lights On
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It was the height of the Second Industrial Revolution and the White House had just welcomed it's 23rd president, Benjamin Harrison.
But back at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., he faced a much simpler threat that would test his image as a tough leader: electric light switches.
When electric lights were installed in the White House in 1891, which included altering the Grant-era gas globe chandeliers, the wires were hidden in plaster, according to the White House Historical Association.
Hoover described the Harrison White House as a "homelike administration" as they were a "tight knit family" and had "Hoosier ideas of simplicity."
His eagerness to engage with the electrical light switches earned him the nickname "Light Bulb Johnson" among the staff.