Providence Mystery Poles

These mystery poles are all over Providence.

Central High
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

Westminster Pedestrian Mall
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

DSC00107
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

Empire Street
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

Broad and Pearl
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

When asked what they are, people usually repond confusedly:
"What pole?" "See what?"
Some people see them and tend to have the following hypotheses:
The first guess is that they are old gaslight fixtures
The second guess is that they are old street heaters
The third is that they are vents from the underworld

The first two guesses seem rather romantic, particularily the idea that the streets would be heated.
It would certainly be an incentive for public hanging out in the winter...
The vent idea is supported by a very shiny modern looking thing that has the same double screened openings and is in front of the recently renovated RISD building, facing the Turks head building at the splitting/confluence of Westminster and Weybosset.

Vent (?) outside RISD Library
Originally uploaded by paranoid listener.

Link to flickr set of Mystery Poles around Providence (click the question mark):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7324381@N05/sets/72157600007165024/