The history of New York is fascinating, especially if you view it through its artifacts.
And that’s just what one New York City blog is dedicated to. Ephemeral New York helps to chronicle the city’s history through “forgotten and faded artifacts” and highlights some of the most overlooked items like this particular lamppost in Harlem. At the intersection of West 143rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue lies a “rare twin-mast lamppost, made of cast iron” from the early 20th century.
This lamp, along with about 100 others, is protected as one of NYC’s historical landmarks. It’s interesting because of the intricate cast iron details, the history and of course, because of the craftsmanship that used to be put into such important, yet overlooked aspects of our city. Walking down any old street or avenue doesn’t always result in such random hints of beauty. In a concrete jungle, (especially one being taken over by giant WiFi kiosks) the little details of a time gone by really helps us to appreciate the little things.
Do you have a favorite NYC artifact? What about a lamppost? Let us know!
Featured image: forgotten-ny.com