By Alex Mason
February 7, 2025
Alex Mason earned his bachelors degree in anthropology from NAU in 2022 and participated in the Apex field school the following summer. Alex now works in Cultural Resource Management (CRM) in Tennessee.
For more about Apex or the Apex, Arizona Archaeology Project, visit our website or email Dr. Emily Dale at emily.dale@nau.edu.
Apex, Arizona was no stranger to innovation, and although the camp was short lived, it still saw major technological transitions. Even as electricity was available, residents relied on oil-, carbide-, acetylene- and battery-powered lanterns to illuminate their homes, community buildings, and logging operations. Lanterns from the R.E. Dietz Company, the White Flame Light Company, and JustRite found at Apex demonstrate the country’s continued reliance on established lighting methods into the 1920s and 1930s. However, as technology advanced, the flashlight became the preferred source of portable light, replacing traditional lanterns, as they allowed for safer and more efficient lighting sources. Apex’s residents similarly adopted this new technology.
The Transition from Lanterns to Flashlights
The hand torch, better known as the flashlight, was an important technological milestone, allowing people to light up the world. Eveready was the first company to develop devices that rivaled the common lantern. Rather ironically, the first hand torches got their nickname, the “flashlight,” for how quickly they ran out of battery. By 1922, flashlights become more reliable and easily available to the public and began to be common purchases across America.
Eveready, known for its innovation in portable lighting, began producing flashlights in the early 1900s, quickly becoming a trusted brand for those needing dependable illumination in tough conditions. By the 1920s, these flashlights had made their way to the logging camps of Apex, where they revolutionized the way workers performed their tasks after sundown.
In Apex, Arizona, the transition from lanterns to flashlights marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of outdoor work. For decades, workers relied on kerosene lanterns to light their way through the darkened woods. However, as the 20th century progressed, the introduction of Eveready flashlights brought an efficient, safer, and more reliable alternative for instant illumination.
Lanterns, while effective, had several drawbacks. They often relied on fuel sources such as kerosene or oil, which required regular refilling and posed fire hazards. In a dry area like Apex, where wildfires were always a concern, this was a serious risk. Flashlights were also far more compact, lightweight, and durable ideal for residents of Apex who relied on the railroad partly on the railroad for supplies.
The Importance of Flashlights in Apex
Flashlights were particularly crucial in Apex due to the town’s reliance on early morning and late evening work. Two different Eveready flashlights were found at Apex, one at the laborer’s bunkhouse and one near the water tank–notably both work-related areas. One, an end cap for an “Eveready Flashlight” dates sometime between 1910 and 1959, though it lacks the easy-hang ring that was introduced in 1926, as seen in the 1930 ad above.
More interestingly, the nearly intact body of an “Eveready Daylo” indicates workers may have brought their own tools with them to camp. An attempt in 1917 by the Eveready Company to create brand recognition, Daylo was intended to become the new common term for flashlight, similar to how Kleenex is used to denote facial tissue today. Per a 1919 Daylo catalog, Case Number 2632 was a “tubular style” that sold for $2.25, or about $41 today (see arrow in photo below).
By 1921, the rebranding campaign was a failure, and Eveready dropped the Daylo name. As Apex was first occupied in 1926, a worker must have held onto their trusty flashlight for at least five years before dropping and denting it.
A Technological Leap Forward
The shift from lanterns to flashlights in Apex was more than just a convenience, it was a technological leap forward. It marked a move toward safer, more efficient, and practical lighting solutions. As batteries became longer-lasting and flashlights more durable, the days of oil-burning lanterns faded into history, and even though Apex followed soon after, technological advancements in lighting made its way into the world.
Mystery Mechanism!
Continuing on the theme of Apex’s technology, let us know if you recognize the function of this mechanical element. Measuring 8.5cm tall by 6.3cm wide, it has a circular, tick-marked dial with a ratcheted gear.
Sources
Bellis, Mary. The Invention of the Flashlight: Let There Be Light. 25 February 2019 ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/invention-of-the-flashlight-1991794
Boy’s Life. Eveready Flashlights & Batteries. 1930, pg. 37.
Eveready Eveready Daylo: The Light That Says “There it Is”. 1919. Williams, Brown, Earle, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
Gallantry. The History of Flashlights 22 August 2016. https://gallantry.com/blogs/journal/the-history-of-flashlights#
Good Housekeeping. Eveready Flashlights & Batteries. June 1924, pg. 142.
Schneider, Stuart. Flashlight Museum. January 2025. https://www.wordcraft.net/flashlight.html.
Wikipedia. Eveready Battery Company. 9 January 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eveready_Battery_Company#