For centuries, the people of Iceland have used their hot springs for bathing and washing clothes. The first use of geothermal energy for heating did not come until 1907 when a farmer ran a concrete pipe from a hot spring to lead steam into his house. In 1930, the first pipeline was constructed in Reykjavík and was used to heat two schools, 60 homes, and the main hospital. It was a pipeline that ran from one of the hot springs outside the city. In 1943 the first district heating company was started with the use of geothermal power. An pipeline ran through the city of Reykjavík, and by 1945 it was connected to over 2,850 homes.