President ’ s Message
Art beneath your feet
News & Notes
President ’ s Message
By Pamela Baird MVHA President
Art beneath your feet
This newsletter is published four times a year by the MOUNTAIN VIEW HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION P . O . Box 252 , Mountain View , CA 94042 www . mountainviewhistorical . org
MVHA Board of Directors
President : Pamela Baird Vice-President : Robert Cox Secretary : Jamil Shaikh Treasurer : Melissa Rusch
Past President : Nicholas Perry Historical Data : Gill Lane Membership : Lisa Garcia Newsletter : John Cortez
Director-at-Large : Carol Donahue Director-at-Large : IdaRose Sylvester Director-at-Large : Vacant
Newsletter Design & Layout by Nicholas Perry and Melanie Kaye
MVHA Board of Directors Email : info @ mountainviewhistorical . org
A number of years ago while traveling in Europe ( I don ’ t remember which city ) I looked down and was enchant-
Pamela Baird
ed by the design on the manhole cover , which was located in the middle of a cobble stone street . It was the crest of the city — a great way to express pride and showcase the local history .
Since then , whenever we travel , I watch for designs on manhole covers . Usually , the manhole covers in the older areas ( and more frequently seen by tourists ) of the city will showcase the decorative covers . But even the small but prosperous maritime city of Barth , Germany ( from which my paternal great grandparents emigrated ) has the city crest on the manhole covers .
The manhole ( or maintenance hole ) covers are a part of the sewer or utilities system of a city . These covers protect the access opening into these necessary systems . The round shape prevents the cover from falling into the hole ( a
Barth , Germany
square cover could do this if not placed properly ). A cover weighs about 100 pounds , which keeps them in place when traffic passes over them . Usually , the cover is made from cast iron . The covers frequently feature “ pick holes ,” into which a hook handle tool is inserted to lift them .
Some cities in the US include a crest on the covers , like our neighbor , Palo Alto . In looking around Mountain View , I haven ’ t seen anything other than the name of the foundry or a dimpled
Japan
Prague
Palo Alto , CA
pattern ( so they aren ’ t slippery in wet weather ). There are a few in the North Bayshore area that feature the word “ Google ” on them .
The country of Japan has taken manhole cover artwork to an entirely different level . About 95 % of the manhole covers in Japan feature decorative art of history , creatures , landscapes or stories . Often these are painted , which adds another layer of fun and detailing .
Wouldn ’ t it be great if the city of Mountain View could do the
same ? The city crest or logo could be incorporated ( whether painted or plain ) in the cover . How much more expensive would that be ? Anyone interested in advocating for this effort ?
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