In April 1828, the first street lamps appeared in Penza, totaling 14, all located in the city center. Several structures styled after old lamps have survived on Volodarsky Street.

The light from the lamps was very weak, illuminating only a small area around the post. In pre-revolutionary times, they used a spirit-turpentine liquid for their operation, and from the mid-19th century, kerosene. The lamps were extinguished quite early: in summer at one o'clock, in winter at two. Lamps were necessarily installed near the Governor's house, the lines of official places, fire departments, and police stations. Each lamp post cost the budget 5 rubles and 30 kopecks. The work of a lamplighter was not easy: they had to carry a ladder, a winch, matches, a canister, brushes for cleaning the lamps, and much more.

The daily schedule for the lamps was set by the fire depot's economy. They began to light them at the signal of the green light of the lantern on the police tower. In 1906, the first lighting calendar appeared, recording the exact time for turning the lamps on and off.

With the installation of new light poles, they moved away from the previous order, where lamps were placed near the homes of wealthy citizens or commercial points. This can be called a kind of democratic lantern revolution.

Due to the scattered location of the lamps throughout the city, it was difficult to monitor their condition. The problem was solved through public oversight: each post was numbered, and any resident could report a malfunction.

In the early 20th century, the City Administration decided to modernize the utilities system, gradually transitioning to electric lamps. The new lamps shone 500 times brighter than kerosene ones, and soon the streets of Pushkin, Krasnaya, Nagornaya, and others became brighter and safer.