Honoring the History of Line Work: Featuring Robert Padgett of the International Lineman's Museum

The new location for the International Lineman's Museum and Hall of Fame may still be underway in Florida, but Journeyman Lineman Robert Padgett has been collecting historical tools and artifacts throughout his 31 years in the trade. During this episode of the T&D World Line Life Podcast, we kick off the New Year by featuring a new series showcasing Padgett and others inducted into the Lineman Hall of Fame. Padgett started working for Lakeland Electric in 1988 in Lakeland, Florida, before founding Padget Poleline. He has trained hundreds of apprentices throughout his career, and he is dedicated to preserving the history of line work. He has also been competing at the International Lineman's Rodeo for years and was instrumental in starting the Florida Lineman's Rodeo. To learn more about his career in the line trade and how he is giving back by serving on the museum's board of directors, listen to the audio story "Life After the Line," narrated from the 2025 T&D World Lineworker Supplement. You can also check out the website to read all the profiles of all those inducted into the Hall of Fame since 2006 and tune in to the Oct. 4, 2024, Line Life Podcast episode featuring Andy Price, the founder of the International Lineman's Museum. If you want to nominate someone who has made notable contributions to the line trade and the electric utility industry, click here to find out more about the induction process. Thanks for tuning in to the Line Life Podcast, and go to Podbean to learn how to subscribe so you can listen to other parts of this series.