PHILLY FIRE ALARM, Northern Liberties

by Kevin Walsh

When I am out of town I carry on just the same way I do while in NYC — I notice ancient infrastructure, such as this rusted fire alarm at Spring Garden and North 3rd Streets in Philly, produced by the Superior American Fire Alarm & Signal Co., likely in the 1910s or 1920s. Alas, this alarm has been removed since I got this picture in spring 2008, but the stump of the shaft post is still in place. Philly, incidentally, has done a pretty thorough job ridding itself of any of its old streetlamps, but nonstandard street signs, as well as older signs on privately-owned shops, can still be found in abundance.

11/17/15

1 comment

Michael Haggerty November 18, 2015 - 3:46 pm

That’s right down the block from the Fire Administration Building [Philly FD’s HQ].

By the way, Philly doesn’t do a thorough job on most things.

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