First off, I have to apologize for the fact that I’m using a screen capture of Google Street View, but it’s all I have right now. Google Earth was the medium by which I discovered this old block of North Spring Street in L.A., and I haven’t been over there with my good camera yet. One of these days I’ll get around to doing that.
Anyhow, please take a look at this picture, and notice the two old lamp posts on the left side of the street. Not having been there I don’t know if they are in working order, but does anyone know when street lamps like that would have been installed in a typical American city? To provide some context, the building on the left goes back to 1890 and many of the others in this neighborhood are about that old. IIRC this area was mostly industrial in the late 19th century, but in recent years artists have begun to live and work in this area.
(Note: I’m referring strictly to the two lamp posts nearest the viewer on the left. I’m sure the taller lamp posts in the distance, with the visible light globes are fairly new; I’ve seen those installed in the past few years elsewhere around town.)
