More Than a Purple Sputtering Glow: Streetlights and City Planning in D.C.
Art by Luke Atkinson
After the British burned the Capitol, 200 years ago, the poles of the city’s first gas lights were used as horse hitching posts for a year.
Ordinary objects like streetlights can illustrate anecdotes, and they can teach us larger lessons about the life of a city.
Once you’ve learned to read objects in the everyday landscape, the world becomes a place of wonder. Details matter. The choice of bulb speaks to environmental policies; the shape of a light’s head drives tensions between officials and the neighbors who have to live with the glare.
On this bike tour, we will use streetlights as keys to examine the history of city planning and the present-day dynamics of community politics. Our route takes us to several seminal streetlights. We will stop to discuss what these lights can tell us about the city’s past, present, and future.
The tour will take about 1.5 hours, with frequent halts. Students should be comfortable riding a bike in city traffic. Bring a notebook, camera, or smartphone for documentation.
Location
11th and F streets NW
Washington,
DC
20004
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Past event