Cincinnati, Ohio

I have had the good fortune this semester to be leading a historic preservation studio class in Northern Kentucky. And Northern Kentucky is a great spot, you should all go by and visit because there is much more there than you might expect. With that said, the city on the other side of the Roebling Bridge from Covington has a few things going for it too. Cincinnati. Porkopolis. Call it what you will, but it contains enough historic buildings and infrastructure to make a preservationist's head spin. The Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is unlike anything I have ever seen. Parts of it feel like someone just walked away in 1890 and never came back. Granted, it may be a little rough around the edges, but if you live anywhere near here and haven't spent a Saturday in OTR, you owe it to yourself. Go to Findlay Market, have some goetta, take some pictures...

Just outside of OTR are some great manhole covers. Looking through the blog, I don't actually have that many from the 1920s. But now I have a few more...


The view from one side of the street


The view from the other side of the street...

Covington, KY

Just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Covington, KY is home to a remarkable collection of historic 19th Century buildings. And, as the pictures below indicate, it also contains plenty of historic infrastructure as well. The sewer grate is from 1955. And although it doesn't have a date, I am also including a picture of a city road, whose surface, prior to being paved, appears to have been wooden pavers rather than cobblestones or brick.

Trumansburg, NY

Another guest photographer!!
This one was taken in the town of Trumansburg, NY, by Andy Rumbach. T'burg is located just outside of Ithaca to the west of Cayuga Lake. It is famous for many reasons, including the corn maze that appears every fall, the New York Pizzeria, and the Rongovian Embassy. And they have their own Gimme Coffee, so there is that too... This bridge has been carrying the citizens of Rongovia to and from their varied destinations for fifty years. Thank you New York State Department of Public Works!

Moscow, Russia

A guest photographer!!

Much as I would like, I do not often have the opportunity to travel the world in search of its most exotic dates in metal. I do get to some pretty exciting places - Somerville, for example - but those only come along so often. Fortunately, I have a few friends who are willing to enable this hobby of mine on their own time. Pete Sigrist was doing his dissertation research in Moscow, and he was good enough to take a few snapshots of the manhole covers that he found during his time there. Thus, in the spirit of glasnost, I now share these pictures from Russia. Thanks Pete!

A manhole cover from the early days of the Brezhnev era.

And another.



This one doesn't have a date, but it looks much older than the others. It also has some colorful designs that invite one to speculate that it might be pre-Soviet? Peter found this in Red Square.

Somerville, MA

This manhole cover has been serving the good people of Somerville, MA since 1894. That makes it pretty old, but not quite as old as Lyndell's Bakery down the street. Lyndell's has been serving baked goods to hungry residents since 1887. If you happen to be in the area, I suggest the half moon cookies. Or the lemon squares. Or the cannoli...

Hudson, NH

You can travel the world, and you will never see manhole covers like those used in my own hometown. Although they do not have dates on them, they are blogworthy for an entirely different reason.

Because they are TRIANGLES!


What can I say, we do things a little bit differently in New Hampshire. But it is worth pointing out that we are not just being different for difference's sake; like round manhole covers, a triangular manhole cover cannot fall in on itself. It is actually a perfectly rational choice.

This is a vintage Mueller fire hydrant, from 1955, complete with accessories - notice the tag attached to the top so that the hydrant can be found in case it is buried under four feet of snow. Again, we are a practical people...

And a more recent entry, a fire hydrant just off of Central Street, made in 1986.
Where was I in 1986? Learning about New Hampshire's Revolutionary War hero John Stark and practicing my cursive in Mrs. Fucci's third grade class at Kimball Webster School.


Have I hooked you on Hudson?? Want to learn more?

Sources about Hudson don't get much more authoritative than this. Click here...

Omaha, NE

Among sandwich enthusiasts, Omaha is widely acclaimed for being the birthplace of the Reuben. This fire hydrant, in downtown Omaha, has been protecting Reubens and those who eat them for fifty four years.