  Middleageguy Member Username: Middleageguy Post Number: 29 Registered: 01-2007 |
Hey, is there anyone who can tell what years some of the really old street lights were installed? There are some that are painted that cool old green and hang by 2 wires! Or, post photos of some, and someone else can "date" them. I can't cuz I am in KY. Peace | ||
Harsensis Member Username: Harsensis Post Number: 281 Registered: 07-2005 |
I don't know what year those were started, but the ones before that were huge arc lights way up in the sky that spread light over a large distance. The guy who owns motor city electric has two of the lights your talking about working at his place on Harsens Island. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 389 Registered: 09-2004 |
Detroit has an eclectic mix of streetlights across the city (and including Highland Park and Hamtramck), from posts dating from the late 1800s all the way to modern installations, telephone pole-mounted styles to throwback historic designs being used on Michigan Ave and downtown. Here are a few of the designs you'll see out there:  This is the original Bishop type streetlight. 1892 is an approximate date, from the years just before that newfangled electricity became mainstay. Note the bracket pegs for the lamplighters of the late 19th Century to go about their job, individually lighting each lamp. The bowling pin finial on the top of the post gives away the Bishop style. Many of these earliest streetlights feature wooden poles. This example is found on Junction near Holy Redeemer - along with many of its sisters. Many others are scattered on both side and major streets throughout the city.  Bishop design. This later design was in use during the early 20th Century. It is identical to the previous design, but lacks the climbing pegs and usually features a steel pole rather than a wooden one. This is the type that is being reproduced around the city around Comerica Park, Ford Field, on Broadway, and on some stretches of Michigan Ave. Some original Bishops are also being rumored to be taken down, refurbished, and reinstalled along with the new reconstructions. This photo is along Grand River.  1916 design. This was pioneered during a massive street widening project undertaken on most spoke roads and others in and following this year. Noted by the fancy bracketwork holding the lamp fixture to the pole, and the decorative pineapple on the top of the pole. There are some good stands of these remaining on Fort below SW High School to the Rouge River Drawbridge and on Grand River. New style lights remain on good stretched of the 1916 pineapple-capped poles on Michigan Ave. (from Livernois to I-96) and Gratiot in the city. Linwood also has long stretches of these streetlights. Others are scattered throughout the city. Below is one such great stand of the 1916 style streetlights along Linwood.  To be continued... | ||
Detroitgalaxian Member Username: Detroitgalaxian Post Number: 12 Registered: 06-2006 |
Argh! Don't stop! This is incredible information. I've been wondering about the eras of these lightpoles for ages. Thanks for the great info! | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1248 Registered: 02-2007 |
The "bishop" lights are still found in portions of Black Bottom and (the eastern end of) Paradise Valley. (Maybe) Those other ones are found along Outer Drive and Van Dyke. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1325 Registered: 12-2005 |
The poles with bracket pegs were carbon arc streetlights when new, the "lamplighter" as you called him would use those to change the carbons, so he was more a "carbon changer". They came on by themselves when the power was turned on by the PLC. One carbon was mounted on a stationary arm, the other was on a flexible bi-metal arm that would heat up from the heat generated by the burning carbons and maintain an engineered gap. The style hanging on the two wires were all carbon arc originally. | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 161 Registered: 09-2006 |
I recently posted a drawing of a sketch I did of the street lamps in Detroit and posted it on both myspace and photobucket. And I've recently been scouring through the city and taking pictures of the old lamps in the city so when I do another drawing/study of ALL the posts in Detroit, hopefully they'll be more detailed. http://i172.photobucket.com/al bums/w23/313arts/detroitposts. jpg Let me know what you think of this one. It's a few years old (five or six) and I plan to do a more detailed sketch-of BOTH the old and new posts-ASAP. (Message edited by waxx on May 21, 2007) | ||
Stryker81 Member Username: Stryker81 Post Number: 39 Registered: 10-2006 |
Bishop lights can also be found along Cass and the other side roads around the Wayne State area. | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 162 Registered: 09-2006 |
Whoever started this thread, PLEASE keep it goin'. This subject may sound petty to some, but to those who are into the nitty-gritty historic details about our city, this is worth talking about. This IS a good thread! BTW, Has anyone been on the Woodward bridge lately? the new(er) bishop-style posts are on that bridge AND they go past 8 Mile! | ||
Dan_the_man Member Username: Dan_the_man Post Number: 14 Registered: 07-2006 |
So is the wooden pole on the original bishop style lights from the original installation of these lights? That would mean it's survived for over 100 years exposed to the elements. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 924 Registered: 07-2004 |
In the construction trades, it's common knowledge that the wood harvested 100 years ago is much, much better in quality and durability than today's lumber. Even so, I am often surprised, especially given that the center of those poles must be bored out. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 486 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks to all who have posted their knowledge, photos, and drawings of the street lights that illuminate throughout our city. I have wondered often about them: when did the earliest (and still surviving) fixtures get installed? Why do we have stands of one type on certain streets, and other types on other streets? Who were the designers of these lights? Does the city have any plans to keep the historical fixtures in place? Thanks for posting this thread Middleageguy, I hope we get lots of answers. | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 163 Registered: 09-2006 |
I hope so also, Bulletmagnet. If the city does not plan to keep the original fixtures (due 2 a lack of funds or any other inconvenient circumstance), they still have the blueprint(s) to them and-if anyone's been paying attention to the detailslately-those metal bishop-style lamps are slighty taller than their wooden counterparts by a good 6-8 inches depending on how level the sidewalk(s) are. AND if anyone's been to Mexicantown recently, the other PLC lamps that curve at the top, those are up now. AND there's an extra loop in the curve, AND they're a little shorter than the wooden ones because they have a lower base. If I take some pics of those, I will not hesitate to post them here-as long as this thread remains open-and get this, there are NEW PLC lamps in the Grandmont-Rosedale area, but unlike the 'remastered' ones downtown and in the inner-city, these are fiberglass with plastic caps, and sadly some were already demolished. Hopefully they'll be replaced and not with those replacement stems like they have on the 'ghost-town' portion of Grand River. Just some observations I've been making these past few years. Has anyone notice the old and new bishop style lamps standing side by side in certain parts of the city.......? (Message edited by waxx on May 21, 2007) | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 170 Registered: 09-2006 |
http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/507418160/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/507418158/ |
