bwl – Capital City Sidewalks

Posted on November 18, 2023 by bunnyhugger

E. Michigan Ave., BWL, 2023

Tonight was Silver Bells in the City, which I haven’t missed attending in years, and while walking between the Lansing Center (where we parked) and the car, I found another 2023 stamp, this one from BWL (the Board of Water and Light). It’s on the north side of East Michigan Avenue, west of the Lansing Center and east of the river.

This stamp matches the style of one I found that had a somewhat obscured date that I took to be either 1987 or 1997. I ended up settling on 1987, but now I wonder if it wasn’t 1997 after all. Other 1980s BWL stamps have a bolder, rounded typeface that I find much more pleasant.

Posted on April 19, 2023April 23, 2023 by bunnyhugger

Clifford St., unsigned, 1992

Here’s a mysterious date marking from the east side of Clifford Street between Kalamazoo and Marcus. The typeface and corner placement strongly suggest it was done by the BWL, but they usually stamped their name into the lower left corner of the same slab, so I’m not sure why it is absent here. Possibly the sidewalk used to be wider.

Sorry for the blurry photo; I’m still getting used to my new phone.

Posted on March 15, 2021March 15, 2021 by bunnyhugger

S. Clemens Ave., BWL, 1987

Here’s an unusual BWL (Board of Water and Light, or so I assume) variation on the west side of South Clemens Avenue between Prospect and Kalamazoo. The rounded, almost handwritten-looking font of other BWL stamps is replaced by smaller, typewriter-like letters. There also seem to be periods this time. One thing that hasn’t changed is the unique BWL custom of stamping the name in one corner and the date in the other.

I initially thought the date was 1997, but when I got down to look at it more closely it appeared to be 1987 as the bottom loop of that third number appears to come all the way up. It’s pretty hard to tell the 8 from the 9 in this font (a recurring problem with sidewalk stamps that use nearly symmetrical rounded numbers) but I am tentatively sticking with 8. If you think I’m wrong I’d be happy to hear another opinion.

Closeup of the date. I had to scrape some dirt off to get the last number.

Posted on December 23, 2020 by bunnyhugger

Custer Ave., BWL, 1981

This one is on the east side of Custer Avenue, alongside the house on the corner that faces Jerome. BWL stamps usually have BWL in the lower left corner and the year in the lower right. Someone got creative this time. The two stamps are on either end of the slab, facing opposite directions.

Posted on November 11, 2020December 21, 2020 by bunnyhugger

S. Magnolia Ave., [maybe] unsigned, 1985

Surprise! I felt up to a short walk after all, so here’s a bonus entry. This is on the west side of South Magnolia Avenue between Michigan and Prospect.

There is a date in the lower right corner, but no name anywhere that I can see. Although scofflaws who stamp a name without a date are fairly common, this is the only date without a name I have seen. I know it’s possible for the name to wear away faster than the date, presumably when the mark is made more shallowly for some reason, but if there was ever one here it is completely gone.

Update 12/20/20: I now know that the Board of Water and Light usually stamps “BWL” in the lower left and a date in the lower right. The date style seems to match theirs. So, my guess on further consideration is that this is a BWL stamp and I missed the mark in the shadow. In fact, I have walked this block in daylight and I am pretty sure I remember a BWL stamp in this vicinity, so that is probably what this is. I’ll have to check again sometime.

Posted on November 4, 2020 by bunnyhugger

E. Kalamazoo St., BWL, undated

I would have thought that Board of Water and Light (BWL) stamps would be common, but this is the only one I know of, so far. It is on the south side of East Kalamazoo Street between Lathrop and Allen, in front of a vacant lot. The lot used to have a cute little Craftsman house until it was gutted by fire several years ago.