Review of Streetlight Styles

**SWMAP** · July-09-10, 01:13 PM

I recall a great discussion thread on Detroityes about Detroit's historic street lamp styles. Today the New York Times has a nice rview of NYC's street lamps over the years. Readers may want to compare.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/201...ml?ref=opinion

I am always wanting to lobby for matching streetlights on Junction, which has old cast iron lamps on one side and aluminum masts on the other - bad fung shui for the neighborhood, if you ask me.

**Ed Golick** · July-09-10, 01:43 PM

First flourescent streetlights in the country were on Wyoming in Detroit, circa 1950.

**fryar** · July-09-10, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

I am always wanting to lobby for matching streetlights on Junction, which has old cast iron lamps on one side and aluminum masts on the other - bad fung shui for the neighborhood, if you ask me.

Those clashing streetlamp styles certainly seem to be in poor taste. If you started an online petition, I'd sign it.

**Danny** · July-09-10, 02:12 PM

Detroit still have the cedar post bishop lights left in some ghettohoods. The new revival ones are all over the Woodward Ave. The 8 Mile and Woodward Ave. Bridge, Michigan Ave. Gratiot Ave. Broadway St. Cass Ave from I-94 to Baltimore St. and other small ghettohoods including Comerica Park and Washington Ave.

Mexican Village and Mexican Town have the revival Type 1BC Bishop crookesque. Long ago there are some Type 1BC Bishop crookesques at Pontchartrian Street in Detroit's Palmer Park area and its neighborhoods. Some in Highland Park areas, W. Warren Ave. from Grand River Ave. to border of Dearborn. Used to be in Michigan Ave. from Livernois Ave to border of Dearborn, Some left on 21st Street and few left of Kechaval St. through Indian Village.

**Rocko** · July-11-10, 07:20 PM

Since the 311 call center has been disbanded with the budget cuts....anyone know what number to call to report streetlights not working or poles knocked over lying on the ground? Thanks.

**Detroit Signal** · July-12-10, 08:07 AM

From the PLD page - don't call 311:

How do I report burned out or broken street lights?
Call 311 or [[313) 224-INFO [[4636)

9449 Grinnell Ave.
Detroit, MI 48213

Phone: [[313) 267-7202
Fax: [[313) 267-5118

**Detroit Signal** · July-12-10, 08:17 AM

**Rocko** · July-12-10, 12:24 PM

Here's a link to the old thread with lots of photos and history:
http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1237944236

Traffic Signal, great detail shot of an old veteran Bishop about 100 years old now. Amazing that these things live on in our city!

**Rocko** · July-13-10, 10:05 PM

I had no idea the first fluorescent street lights in the nation were on Wyoming in Detroit in 1950. It's an interesting fad that caught on briefly in force, and then, for some reason, just as quickly seemed to lose favor. Not that I think it was a bad thing it lost popularity, as the lights were garish and ungainly looking during the day and emitted a very cold dead light at night. Even modern sodium vapor bulbs are more friendly.

I concur with the statement that it doesn't look so good, especially on long streets, to have mismatched streetlight styles. Of course the most important point should be that the lights should work whether they are mismatched or not! But I have driven down Junction many many times and often thought about how cool it would look to have the old bishop lights [[and pineapple styles on the major streetcorners) re-wired, and have the newer lights which have replaced the old taken down and replaced with the replica bishops which can be found on Michigan Avenue, Woodward north of the Fisher, and elsewhere. I heard a rumor that Holy Redeemer is considering giving the two old pine bishops on their sidewalk facing Junction a new coat of paint and a general cleanup, so that might help a little....and it would be lovely if DPL decided to replace the pole which got hit in front of the parish house at the corner of Vernor and Junction. That probably one of the busiest corners in the southwest part of the city...with lots of pedestrians....it would be nice if it was lit at night!

The streetlight designs in the city are a never ending source of interest to me, as clearly evidenced from my posts and photos on the old forums.

Attachment 6791

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DetroitDad · July-13-10, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Signal

From the PLD page - don't call 311:

How do I report burned out or broken street lights?
Call 311 or [[313) 224-INFO [[4636)

9449 Grinnell Ave.
Detroit, MI 48213

Phone: [[313) 267-7202
Fax: [[313) 267-5118

I seem to remember a interview with the head of lighting repaire, who said that the problem wasn't that they didn't have enough crews to repair the lights, but rather they didn't have enough crews to go around and test or check all the lights. Is there any truth behind that statement? What happens when you report a light? Also, how do you identify a light pole when calling?

Ravine · July-13-10, 10:29 PM

The address where the pole is located may work.

Retroit · July-14-10, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit Signal

Is that patinaed copper I'm seeing?

**DetroitPlanner** · July-14-10, 10:01 AM

As far as I'm concerned all streetlights should be replaced with LED/Solar powered lights and get rid of all of the wiring that will eventually break down or get stolen anyways. Getting them off the grid and more reliable will go a long way to solving budget and reliability issues.

**Detroit Signal** · July-14-10, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Retroit

Is that patinaed copper I'm seeing?

Nope, just rust.

Retroit · July-14-10, 01:59 PM

I should have specified the part I was referring to.

The pole is obviously iron.

**Detroit Signal** · July-14-10, 02:14 PM

Maybe I should have looked at the obvious before I answered, LOL!

Inetersting......it may be copper because I believe that part is merely a sleeve extension at the top of the light fixture. Unfortunately, because of the age and no color photogrphy available, we'll have to wait until one falls down I guess

**Brock7** · July-14-10, 02:43 PM

I wish you wouldn't give people ideas.

**Steamer** · July-16-10, 06:38 PM

This is what I have done with a retired Bishop street light with a GE luminous arc lamp and powering it with a GE, 2 1/2 KW, 125V DC generator driven from a restored steam engine from around 1910. All of these components fit in with approx. the same time period which is why I thought this would make an interesting display.

**stromberg2** · July-17-10, 01:41 PM

Damn, that's kinda cool!!

Stromberg2

**Aluminum** · July-17-10, 07:38 PM

Is there a scrap yard in the area where unusable bits and pieces of the old Bishop's bases and tops go once removed or damaged?

**CLAUDE G** · July-18-10, 02:03 AM

These are all the street light types that we had along Van Dyke up until a few years ago...

The system was so old and out dated that everytime they fixed something, another set ot lights would go out. It was at the point where we had no street lights for an entire year.

The plan was either to spend $50 million installing all new fixtures with new undreground wiring, or for $4 million install wooden poles with lights bolted to that and run everything over head and tie into Edison for the power.

Sadly enough we got the $4 million fix, and then a company came around and removed all the antique light fixtures. Tried to buy a few of them,as I figured that they where scrapping them out and the guy told me that they had them already sold to another city for lots of money.

I was luckey enough to get to keep a Pinaple from the top of one of the light posts, as a few years ago a bus slammed into the pole infront of my office and took out the entire light and went through my building causing $50,000 in repairs.

**Steamer** · July-25-10, 07:57 PM

Picked up this old Bishop light [[see post #18) at an antique shop along US12 about a year ago for $160 and could'nt get my money out fast enough! Knew exactly where it came from because I worked along Fort St. in the 70s & 80s when they were up and down both sides of the street.

**claireianthelibrarian** · July-31-10, 01:59 AM

Fascinating info, all.

I lived in Indian Village for a month last year, and went for the occasional nighttime stroll while living there. I swear I saw flames inside of a couple of the older fixtures there! By no means were they the majority, but a couple of them appeared to be burning something as their source of light. There's no way they could be gaslights, could they? One of these evenings I'll have to head over there and see if I can re-find them.

**Steamer** · August-06-10, 07:14 AM

Can anyone track down what year the Bishop style lights started going up, and when were the last new ones installed? Looking for the start and stop years. Also how did they get the Bishop name?

**Jimaz** · August-06-10, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by Steamer

Can anyone track down what year the Bishop style lights started going up, and when were the last new ones installed? Looking for the start and stop years. Also how did they get the Bishop name?

Because it looks like a bishop's crook? Just guessing.