In the early 1880's, Frank J. Sprague invented the first true electric motor, one which could maintain a constant speed regardless of load.
With roots in the small city of North Adams, Massachusetts, Frank J. Sprague thus began a legacy of groundbreaking invention in the use of electricity to power streetcars, elevated railways, subways, commuter rail, and elevators. With these systems and his landmark Multiple Unit Traction Control system (MU), Sprague revolutionized urban transportation worldwide.
His son, Robert C. Sprague, continued the Sprague legacy with his innovations in electronic components as the founder of Sprague Electric Company. His son John, in turn, expanded Sprague Electric's reach into the semiconductor technology which now dominates the world.
Here in SpragueLegacy.com John Sprague highlights his grandfather’s genius, the history of Sprague Electric, and the history of North Adams, a city which has played an important role in all these transitions.
