KNOW YOUR LAMPPOSTS: the curved masts

by Kevin Walsh

When modern octagonal-shafted poles, which are made of aluminum and are usually silver or gray-painted, first started appearing in NYC streets in 1950, the mast of choice was curved with a single thinner bracket, as shown here.

In the early 1960s when GE M-400s and Westinghouse OV-25s, which were oblong and gave a greenish white light began to appear (replacing the teardrop-style incandescents), a cobra-neck mast was deigned to support them, and the vast majority of the curved-masts were replaced with cobra necks, retaining the shaft. There are still about a hundred curved masts around town, like this one on White Plains Road in the Bronx.

7 comments

Beverly March 6, 2012 - 9:08 pm

Hey, I knew that shot (W.P.R)looked familiar!

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tony manzo March 7, 2012 - 3:06 pm

dot replacing all denskys on brp only a few left bet. 233 and neried in bx. shiny new boring light poles in their place

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KevinJWalsh March 8, 2012 - 12:21 am

Deskeys gradually being replaced–there are no replacement parts available

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William Mangahas March 13, 2012 - 7:03 pm

Hey Kevin,

The octagonal poles were always made of galvanized steel. The Deskey poles are made of aluminum.

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Dan Schwartz March 16, 2012 - 5:28 pm

Interesting how the lamp extends into the space occupied by the elevated train structure, inserting itself above the catwalk. I don’t think I’ve seen that before, or at least I’ve never noticed it. I think that catwalk was added (or widened) after the lamp was there, in connection with the re-signaling of the White Plains Rd. el. Do you know the cross-street where this is located?

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Joshua Davidowitz April 3, 2012 - 12:57 pm

This is between Pelham Pkwy N and Thwaites Pl if I’m not mistaken. I live a few blocks from there, I recognize the store/apartment skyline.
Should be this lamppost:
http://g.co/maps/adfej

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RODNEY May 22, 2012 - 1:02 pm

THEY DON’T HAVE THESE ANYMORE. WHEN I WAS REALLY YOUNG, I SAW ONE OF THESE IN CENTRAL PARK. ABOUT 95% OF NYC STREET LIGHT POLES ARE EITHER SHAPED LIKE A SEVEN OR THE TOP OF A NUMBER TWO

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