If you love old time street lighting this photo is probably the best you will ever see of an open type carbon rod street light in service. These lights were among the first introduced for street lighting. The image FYI is from an e-place purchase. PLEASE NOTE: **Their previous scan came out a LOT better than mine so here it is (please excuse "their" disclaimers to the right ;-).** The carbon arcs in these lights had to be either reeled in to the pole or lowered to the ground for trimming/replacement just about daily. Circa 1900 enclosed arc lights came onto the scene making the open arc light "method" instantly obsolete. Any open arc lights in collections are very valuble. The enclosed arc lights required approximately daily carbon rod/globe maintenance and were somewhat more energy efficient than the old open arcs.

For more information about old-time street lighting please refer to: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/vintage_streetlights and http://www.vintagestreetlights.com Thanks for your interest in these up-and-becoming vanished rememberances of Americana!