Samuel Hibben
Encyclopedia
Samuel Galloway Hibben (June 6, 1888 — June 11, 1972) had a distinguished career in the science and application of lighting. During a lifetime of employment with the Westinghouse Company
he pioneered many new types of lighting and its applications in the home, the workplace and in public displays. Among his many noteworthy design achievements were the lighting of the Holland Tunnel
, the Statue of Liberty
, the Washington Monument
, and several underground caverns. He supplemented his design work with lectures and demonstrations to educate the public on the practical and aesthetic possibilities of lighting. He received several professional awards for his achievements, and in 2006 was designated one of the eight most distinguished pioneers in the field of lighting design.
. He attended Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve), graduating in 1910 with a degree in electrical engineering. At Case he worked part time in the physics laboratory used by Albert Michelson to develop the optical interferometer, for which Michelson was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics
in 1907. Hibben was inspired by Michelson’s work, and decided to study the field of lighting; his senior thesis was on the photometry
of colored light.
in 1916. He took time off to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers in World War I, where he designed anti-aircraft searchlights and an acoustic artillery ranging system.
Hibben conceived the idea that the beauty of some geological formations could be enhanced by application of multicolored lighting. He first tried this out on the Natural Bridge of Virginia
in 1927, where his team installed a controllable system of concealed floodlights that bathed the arch and adjacent rock walls at night in varying combinations of colors, which highlighted features not visible in daylight. Nocturnal tours through the arch were an instant success, and inspired Hibben to apply the same techniques to the Endless Caverns
in Virginia in 1928. The skill and artistry of this display were also warmly received by the public, and Hibben went on to design similar systems for Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico and Crystal Caves in Bermuda (1937).
Fairs and expositions provided a good venue for showcasing the latest in lighting technology, and Hibben’s Westinghouse team designed displays for a number of them, including the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial (1926), Barcelona Exposition (1929), Chicago World’s Fair
(1933) and the New York World’s Fair
of 1939. Hibben’s lighting designs for the New York Fair were a milestone, being the first to introduce fluorescent lighting on a large scale.
One of Hibben’s most interesting challenges was the upgrading of the Statue of Liberty torch
lighting during World War II. The Statue lighting was turned off when the U.S. entered the war in 1941, and Westinghouse was commissioned to redesign the system. Hibben devised a combination of high power incandescent and mercury vapor lamps that created the illusion of a flaming torch, and also redesigned the floodlighting of the statue itself. The brilliant new array was switched on in a ceremony on V-E Day, May 8, 1945.
In another wartime activity, Hibben was appointed to a committee of lighting experts, to study blackout techniques for defending cities against possible bombing attacks. Concluding that total blackouts were counterproductive, he introduced reduced lighting or ‘dimout’ techniques that would give protection while allowing nearly normal vehicular and industrial activity.
Hibben’s innovations extended to many other aspects of lighting. Among these were reflector designs for indirect lighting, cluster lighting for streets and highways, airport runway lighting, and underwater lights for swimming pools, as well as for deep sea research with pioneers William Beebe
and Auguste Piccard
. While most of his achievements were in the visible spectrum, he also pioneered studies in the ultraviolet and infrared regions. His research in the bactericidal properties of the ultraviolet band—so-called black light
—led to a myriad of new applications in sterile environments such as hospitals and food processing plants.
Hibben also made it his mission to raise public awareness of the proper uses and evolving possibilities of lighting. He lectured and published widely on the subject in both the professional and popular press, mainly in publications of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), where he was a lifelong member. He had a gift for explaining the physics of illumination in layman’s terms; his popular lectures often included dazzling demonstrations of lighting effects.
Hibben’s experiments with lighting sometimes had unexpected consequences. One disastrous event took place at a dinner meeting in a hotel, where he had replaced the standard dining room ceiling lights with a combination of red and green lights. These caused every dish on the menu to appear in such strange colors that most of the guests were revolted and unable to eat any of the meal.
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
he pioneered many new types of lighting and its applications in the home, the workplace and in public displays. Among his many noteworthy design achievements were the lighting of the Holland Tunnel
Holland Tunnel
The Holland Tunnel is a highway tunnel under the Hudson River connecting the island of Manhattan in New York City with Jersey City, New Jersey at Interstate 78 on the mainland. Unusual for an American public works project, it is not named for a government official, politician, or local hero or...
, the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
, and several underground caverns. He supplemented his design work with lectures and demonstrations to educate the public on the practical and aesthetic possibilities of lighting. He received several professional awards for his achievements, and in 2006 was designated one of the eight most distinguished pioneers in the field of lighting design.
Birth and early life
Samuel Hibben was born and raised in Hillsboro, OhioHillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at ....
. He attended Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve), graduating in 1910 with a degree in electrical engineering. At Case he worked part time in the physics laboratory used by Albert Michelson to develop the optical interferometer, for which Michelson was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
in 1907. Hibben was inspired by Michelson’s work, and decided to study the field of lighting; his senior thesis was on the photometry
Photometry (optics)
Photometry is the science of the measurement of light, in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye. It is distinct from radiometry, which is the science of measurement of radiant energy in terms of absolute power; rather, in photometry, the radiant power at each wavelength is weighted by...
of colored light.
First job
Hibben’s first job was with the MacBeth-Evans Glass Company in Pittsburgh, where he designed optical glass components. Notable among these was a system of lenses and mirrors for lighthouses, known as the catadioptric lens, the first of its kind in the U.S. His lenses were installed in a number of lighthouses, and were credited with a major improvement in the safety of coastal navigationLife during the war
Hibben left MacBeth to join the Westinghouse Electric CompanyWestinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
in 1916. He took time off to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers in World War I, where he designed anti-aircraft searchlights and an acoustic artillery ranging system.
Life post-WWII
After the war he rejoined Westinghouse, where he remained for the rest of his career, most of it at the company‘s Lamp Division in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He was appointed Director of Applied Lighting there in 1933. The company recognized his talents, and gave him virtually a free hand in the development of light bulbs and innovative lighting designs until his retirement in 1954.Hibben conceived the idea that the beauty of some geological formations could be enhanced by application of multicolored lighting. He first tried this out on the Natural Bridge of Virginia
Natural Bridge (Virginia)
Natural Bridge, known as Natty B by locals, in the eponymous Rockbridge County, Virginia is a geological formation in which Cedar Creek has carved out a gorge in the mountainous limestone terrain, forming an arch 215 ft high with a span of 90 ft...
in 1927, where his team installed a controllable system of concealed floodlights that bathed the arch and adjacent rock walls at night in varying combinations of colors, which highlighted features not visible in daylight. Nocturnal tours through the arch were an instant success, and inspired Hibben to apply the same techniques to the Endless Caverns
Endless Caverns
Endless Caverns is a commercial show cave located 3 miles south of New Market, Virginia. The cave is a limestone solution cave.- History :According to the tour operators, the cave was discovered by two boys in October 1879, while hunting rabbits on the property of Ruben Zirkle...
in Virginia in 1928. The skill and artistry of this display were also warmly received by the public, and Hibben went on to design similar systems for Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico and Crystal Caves in Bermuda (1937).
Fairs and expositions provided a good venue for showcasing the latest in lighting technology, and Hibben’s Westinghouse team designed displays for a number of them, including the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial (1926), Barcelona Exposition (1929), Chicago World’s Fair
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
(1933) and the New York World’s Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
of 1939. Hibben’s lighting designs for the New York Fair were a milestone, being the first to introduce fluorescent lighting on a large scale.
One of Hibben’s most interesting challenges was the upgrading of the Statue of Liberty torch
Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Statue of Liberty National Monument is a national monument comprising Liberty Island and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. It includes the Statue of Liberty, situated on Liberty Island , and the former immigration depot on Ellis Island . The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886...
lighting during World War II. The Statue lighting was turned off when the U.S. entered the war in 1941, and Westinghouse was commissioned to redesign the system. Hibben devised a combination of high power incandescent and mercury vapor lamps that created the illusion of a flaming torch, and also redesigned the floodlighting of the statue itself. The brilliant new array was switched on in a ceremony on V-E Day, May 8, 1945.
In another wartime activity, Hibben was appointed to a committee of lighting experts, to study blackout techniques for defending cities against possible bombing attacks. Concluding that total blackouts were counterproductive, he introduced reduced lighting or ‘dimout’ techniques that would give protection while allowing nearly normal vehicular and industrial activity.
Hibben’s innovations extended to many other aspects of lighting. Among these were reflector designs for indirect lighting, cluster lighting for streets and highways, airport runway lighting, and underwater lights for swimming pools, as well as for deep sea research with pioneers William Beebe
William Beebe
William Beebe, born Charles William Beebe was an American naturalist, ornithologist, marine biologist, entomologist, explorer, and author...
and Auguste Piccard
Auguste Piccard
Auguste Antoine Piccard was a Swiss physicist, inventor and explorer.-Biography:Piccard and his twin brother Jean Felix were born in Basel, Switzerland...
. While most of his achievements were in the visible spectrum, he also pioneered studies in the ultraviolet and infrared regions. His research in the bactericidal properties of the ultraviolet band—so-called black light
Black light
A black light, also referred to as a UV light, ultraviolet light, or Wood's lamp, is a lamp that emits ultraviolet radiation in the long-wave range, and little visible light...
—led to a myriad of new applications in sterile environments such as hospitals and food processing plants.
Hibben also made it his mission to raise public awareness of the proper uses and evolving possibilities of lighting. He lectured and published widely on the subject in both the professional and popular press, mainly in publications of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), where he was a lifelong member. He had a gift for explaining the physics of illumination in layman’s terms; his popular lectures often included dazzling demonstrations of lighting effects.
Hibben’s experiments with lighting sometimes had unexpected consequences. One disastrous event took place at a dinner meeting in a hotel, where he had replaced the standard dining room ceiling lights with a combination of red and green lights. These caused every dish on the menu to appear in such strange colors that most of the guests were revolted and unable to eat any of the meal.