History

As late as the mid-1930s, nine out of ten rural homes were without electric service. This lack of electricity kept the economies of the rural areas almost entirely dependent on agriculture. Other types of business chose to locate in cities, where power could easily be acquired.

While investor-owned utilities turned their backs on the rural areas because they were not profitable, President Franklin D. Roosevelt paved the way to a brighter future for those living in the country. With the signing of Executive Order No. 7037, he established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA).

In 1936, leaders from our communities traveled the dirt roads of Dixie's future service area to sign people up for electricity from the REA. Your cooperative was incorporated in 1938, and on July 31, 1939, our first lines were energized.

We have come a long way since that time, but many things have remained the same. It still only costs a mere $5 to become a member-owner of Dixie Electric Cooperative, and we continue to be a non-profit organization with any margins we make being allocated back to the member-owners in the form of capital credits.

Although our area has changed over the years, we are still focused on the same goals as our forefathers — providing reliable, economical electricity.