The Fort Worth Stockyards is celebrating the birthday of one of the oldest light bulbs in the world. As a gentleman who was raised properly in the nation’s cradle of innovation, I felt it was my duty to attend.

This particular light bulb is 110 years old.

The saga began at Ft. Worth’s Palace Theater back in 19-aught-8. The director of the museum and the artistic director of the Cowtown Opry explained the bulb’s history [after singing, “Happy Birthday,” of course].

The theater was eventually torn down. The light bulb, however, was adopted and ultimately turned over to the Stockyards.

Because a reporter asks, I inquired what made this particular light bulb such a find. The hand-looping was pointed out to me. That’s how you know it’s good.

Devon Dawson and Teresa Burleson also said this was a Shelby light bulb. Each of the three longest-lasting bulbs on the planet have been Shelby light bulbs. And Shelby light bulbs were manufactured in Shelby, Ohio. Ohio really is the cradle of innovation!

An aside: If you go into the Stockyards, people will list a much different list of celebrities from Ohio than they would most other places. In the Fort Worth Stockyards, the Wright Brothers don’t make the cut. I also feel bad that this was the first I’d heard of Roy Rogers being from Cincinnati. The man behind the Double-R-Bar was from right down the highway!

A light bulb in California is the only one that’s burned longer, staying on since aught-one. But Burleson and Dawson told me the Stockyards bulb is attached to a dimmer. They’re playing the long game and also, I would add, were a fantastic interview. They even worked in a dig on California.

I’m proud to now feature a Stockyards light bulb magnet on my refrigerator [though that does put me at risk of editorializing and appearing pro-light bulb]. The Shelby, Ohio light bulb. Right next to the University of Dayton basketball schedule from 2013-2014 that I still have for some reason. Two sources of hometown pride.

I’m not sure where most of these magnets came from. I have magnets with the Texas Rangers’ schedule dating back to 2013 for some reason. Those are simple enough, but I also have a Los Angeles Dodgers magnet with the 2013 schedule. And I think one of the magnets is holding up another magnet that lost its stick-itude.

Some day, a town in Ohio will come up with a way to fix magnets. Never mind that’s already been done. I’m looking at you, Waynesville. Get crackin’.