Editing Brockton, Massachusetts (section)

===Historical firsts===

====World firsts====
* On October 1, 1883, Brockton became the first place in the world to have a [[Three-phase electric power|three-wire]] underground electrical system when [[Thomas Edison]] threw a switch to activate it.<ref>[http://www.thomasedison.com/enlightened.html#brocktonbreak Edison's Fabulous Breakthrough in Brockton, Massachusetts], thomasedison.com; accessed April 16, 2014.</ref>
* The City Theater opened on October 24, 1894, the first theater in the world to be tied into the three-wire electrical system.

====US firsts====
* On December 30, 1884, the first electrically operated fire station in the United States opened in Brockton.
* The department store [[Santa Claus]] appeared in Brockton in December 1890, when [[James Edgar (entrepreneur)|James Edgar]], of Edgar's Department Store, suited up for the first time.<ref>[http://1stdepartmentstoresanta.com/james-edgar.pdf Department Store Santa Tradition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707060442/http://1stdepartmentstoresanta.com/james-edgar.pdf |date=2011-07-07 }}; retrieved April 19, 2011</ref>
* Brockton became the first city in the country to abolish [[grade crossings]] in 1896.
* In 2020, Brockton became the first city in [[New England]] with a majority-Black population. Brockton's new majority-Black population is expected to have a positive impact on the city's culture, economy, and politics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berke |first=Ben |title=Brockton is now majority Black, for first time in city's history |url=https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2020/10/23/brockton-is-now-majority-black-for-first-time-in-citys-139-year-history/114467122/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=Enterprise News |language=en-US}}</ref>

====World records====
* On November 23, 2010, Brockton set the world record for the most Santa Hat wearers in one place at one time, with 872 people participating in the event.<ref>[http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/mass/most_Santa_hat_wearers_in_one_place_Brockton_sets_world_record_101979.html World Records Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515160211/http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/mass/most_Santa_hat_wearers_in_one_place_Brockton_sets_world_record_101979.html |date=2012-05-15 }}; accessed April 16, 2014.</ref>
* On November 20, 2011, Brockton doubled the city's Santa Claus hat-wearing record with 1792 people in downtown Brockton wearing Santa hats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/massachusetts/2011/11/20/sea-santas-stand-counted/orsfeGAv8F6guYbukoD53N/story.html|title=Brockton dons Santa hats, shatters its own record - the Boston Globe|website=[[The Boston Globe]]}}</ref>