SIDEWALK COMPASS

by Kevin Walsh

There are still some very old metal sidewalk compasses to be found on sidewalks around town. This one is at Hicks between Poplar and Middagh Streets at PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights (se Comment below), no doubt installed by a developer or surveyor a century ago. True north is indicated by the up arrow.

More recent “compass roses” have been painted on park pavements by the city.

4 comments

stever October 3, 2011 - 12:51 pm

Put in a century ago?? How old is that concrete sidewalk? Looks more like the 1990s to me.

Reply
KevinJWalsh October 3, 2011 - 3:06 pm

Well, if that sidewalk is new that compass is still pretty old. Whoever owns the property may have taken care to preserve it.

Reply
johnny P October 5, 2011 - 3:12 pm

I notice that, generally, most newer concrete, & sidewalks ( Last 25-40 yrs), tends to have black or “dark” colored rocks in it …
Not scientific , but something I’ve noticed.
Older concrete is where you find white & smoother stones … looks like the picture has white stones in the mix ….

Reply
Jim Schmitt October 7, 2011 - 1:06 am

This is not at Hicks and Orange, it is outside P.S. 8 on Hicks between Middagh and Poplar Streets in Brooklyn Heights, and has been there since the school opened in 1931.

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.