It was in the late 1870s when America's greatest inventor -- Thomas Alva Edison -- developed and built the first electricity generating plant in New York City. Electric lighting came to Chicago in 1880, when the Palmer House Hotel installed electric lights in time for that year's Republican National Convention.Later that year in Philadelphia the first electric lights were strung along a ten-block stretch of Chestnut Street.lectric lighting came to Chicago in 1880, when the Palmer House Hotel installed electric lights in time for that year's Republican National Convention. Later that year in Philadelphia the first electric lights were strung along a ten-block stretch of Chestnut Street.