Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Lantern, Railroad |
Title |
Adlake Red-Globe Kerosene Lantern |
Date |
ca 1935 |
Description |
Adams & Westlake kerosene lantern with red globe. These lanterns were carried on interurban cars and used for giving signals at night. They were made of galvanized sheet metal, steel and glass. By the early 1900s, Adlake was considered one of the largest suppliers of transportation equipment. The company manufactured transportation related hardware such as lamps, lanterns, lights, keys, sashes, luggage racks, lavatories and much more. The Early Years of Kerosene Lanterns The demand for oil and kerosene lanterns in the 19th century spawn untold numbers of lantern manufacturers. Practically every town had a tinsmith making lanterns for the local community. To get some idea of how wide spread this was just look how many Smiths there are in the phone book. During the Civil War the rail transportation system was improved to the point that it was practical to ship lanterns state-to-state. It was also during the war that the use of metal stamping machines to draw and press metal flourished in the U.S. Hundreds of small stamping companies appeared and just as the auto industry had its giant, Henry Ford, the lantern industry had Robert E. Dietz. The story of Robert Dietz's company is practically the history of kerosene lanterns in America. |
Owned By |
Texas Electric Railway |
Made By |
Adams & Westlake Company (Adlake) |
Used By |
Signaling |
Material |
Metal/Glass/Steel |
Collector |
Cook, Hermon C., Sr. |
Search Terms |
Adams Westlake Kerosene Lamp Lantern Signal |
Collection |
Hermon C. Cook Collection |
Catalog Number |
CP.2005.CL.3-44 |