In 1823, the New York Gas Light Company was granted exclusive permission to install gas pipelines south of Grand Street in Manhattan for the following 30 years. By 1830, the Manhattan Gas Light Company took responsibility for supplying gas to the northern parts of the city, leading to the placement of thousands of gas lamps across the city. This particular post is thought to be from the 1860s, originally designed with an 8-foot pole, a horizontal support for letters, and topped with a lantern.
Around 1913, the city began replacing approximately 45,000 old gas lamps with newer electric ones. However, this post managed to survive and was temporarily repurposed as a street sign. In 1997, the Landmarks Preservation Commission recognized several lamp posts as historic, including this one in Inwood and another in Greenwich Village, which now operates with electricity.
So, here’s a New York City landmark quietly standing in plain view, waiting to be noticed!