{"nrhp_refnum":"78002073","name":"Cincinnati Street Gas Lamps","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"1109 Street lamps at various locations throughout Cincinnati","address_restricted":false,"city":"Cincinnati","county":"Hamilton County","state":"OH","lat":39.15446651700006,"lon":-84.46040943099996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Landscape Architecture","Engineering"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A thematic district of about 1,172 cast iron street gas lamp posts spread across thirteen Cincinnati neighborhoods and parts of Columbia and Sycamore Townships in Hamilton County, Ohio. The posts date to about 1895 and came from several local and out-of-state foundries.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the lamps illustrate technology and invention applied to lighting urban streets. Cincinnati is described as unique for the large number and wide spread of its gas street lamps. The lamps also add to the streetscape and give older neighborhoods a sense of time and place.","narrative":"About 1,172 cast iron gas street lamps remain in use in Cincinnati's neighborhoods and in parts of Columbia and Sycamore Townships. Each post stands roughly eight feet tall, weighs 200 to 450 pounds, and carries a Boulevard-style fixture. Most posts are believed to have been made around 1895 by a range of foundries, producing patterns such as full ivy, half ivy, fluted tapered, and composite designs. Gas street lighting began in Cincinnati when City Council bought one hundred cast iron lamp posts in 1843, and the number of lamps peaked at 9,512 in 1892 before electric lighting reduced it. The Boulevard fixture, patterned in 1898, became standard in the city. Lamplighters gave way to timing devices from 1928, and since 1956 the lamps have burned around the clock. The district was recognized as an example of lighting technology and for the unusual number of lamps still operating, which give many streets a distinctive yellow glow beside older architecture.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Manufactured by various foundries, including J. Nash (Cincinnati), Hoefnohoff & Lane (Cincinnati), Welsbach Street Light Inc. of America, Addyston Pipe & Steel Co., KKC Mfg. Co. (St. Louis), Magnetite Foundry Co. (St. Louis), and United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Co.","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in excellent condition and maintained by the City under contract; the lamps burn twenty-four hours a day. The city does not intend to preserve them as such but will replace them if necessary.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:12.58731-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/78002073.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002073/6384df93b7-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002073/6384df93b7-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 3.0","author":"Photo by Greg Hume (Greg5030)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CincinnatiGasLight.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Photo by Greg Hume (Greg5030)</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CincinnatiGasLight.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71989237","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Street_Gas_Lamps","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5120313"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/hamilton-county/cincinnati-street-gas-lamps-78002073/"}