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E. Michigan Ave., AquaShield utility cover

I stopped to check out the newly-renovated Speedway on East Michigan Avenue (the north side, between Clemens and Regent), which was on the eve of reopening. This had previously been famous as the only Speedway with no canopy. The canopy was torn off around 2010 when it became unsafe. I guess their new masters, 7-11, took one look at that and said “What the hell?” Anyway, I noticed this new storm sewer cover amidst the fresh asphalt.

What, no East Jordan Iron Works/EJ? Since the URL is conveniently provided right on the cover (I’m sure that won’t ever age badly) I checked out AquaShield Inc’s Web site. They are a lot younger than EJ, as they have a banner celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2019. Unlike EJ, they don’t just make the iron covers, but offer entire stormwater systems. Their About page doesn’t give much history, but they are based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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S. Hayford Ave., Telegraph/Fire Alarm cover revisited

I was walking past this telegraph/fire alarm utility cover on the northeast corner of South Hayford Avenue and Elizabeth Street, and I decided to try kicking dirt off it in order to read the rest of the manufacturer’s name.

It’s hard to see in the photo, but I was able to determine that the outer edge reads “Capital Casting Co., Lansing Michigan.” According to OpenCorporates, the Capital Casting Company was incorporated in 1905 and dissolved in 1986. Its registered address is given as 6869 West Grand River Avenue, which (if the numbering is the same) would be in the vicinity of the Capital Area Humane Society today. An article from the May 8, 1938, State Journal titled “Lansing has 65 little industries-from guns to automobile,” which Timothy Bowman has republished in his highly recommended local history blog, instead gives its address as 500 South Hosmer Street. Today that address belongs to Lansing Flooring Supplies, but the building is newer. A similar article on local industries from the February 4, 1973, State Journal does not mention Capital Casting.

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East Jordan Iron Works manhole cover, E. Kalamazoo St.

Here’s another sidewalkless sidewalk blog update, from the southwest corner of Kalamazoo and Magnolia. This seems to be the newest style of manhole covers around Lansing, and they look quite spiffy. They depict the city seal (or the city flag, as it’s the same image). The city’s flag and seal were adopted in 1994, replacing the previous, rather obscure flag. No one seems quite sure what the old flag even meant. It depicts a man felling a barren tree by a log cabin, with other bare stumps nearby, and a sunset in the background. The best explanation I have seen is that it depicted the sun setting on the pioneer era. Many found it to be a downbeat image (though it was surely not intended as such) so it is perhaps unsurprising that it was replaced with the current image, which, while inoffensive, also feels a bit too slick and corporate.

The manhole cover’s inner ring identifies its origin as our old friend “East Jordan Iron Works – East Jordan, Michigan, USA.”

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S. Hayford Ave., fire alarm/telegraph utility cover

This isn’t a sidewalk stamp and this time I don’t even have the excuse of it being on the sidewalk – it’s on the lawn extension (parkway, right of way, whatever you like to call it) at the northeast corner of Hayford Avenue and Elizabeth Street. It was just too cool not to share.

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Downer St., Mueller gas utility cover

On my recent sweep of Downer Street between Woodruff and Hopkins, I found this gas utility cover on the west side of the street.

I’m disappointed that Mueller doesn’t have a company history on their Web site, just this brief description: “Since 1857, the Mueller name has become known for innovative water distribution products of superior quality, many of which have become industry standards.  This leadership position has resulted in our valves or hydrants being specified in the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.  We also provide distribution products for the natural gas industry.”

Fortunately, they do have a Wikipedia page, and from there I learn that the company was started by Hieronymous Mueller in Decatur, Illinois, as “H. Mueller, Gun Shop.” He then expanded into sewing machine and clock repairs. Eventually, he shifted focus to plumbing supplies and sold off the gun and sporting goods side of the business. The business sadly left Decatur in 2010 and moved their headquarters to Chattanooga, Tennessee (the location of one of the other companies they had acquired back in the 1930s).

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E. Kalamazoo St., “Electric” cover

This manhole cover is on the northeast corner of East Kalamazoo and Shepard Streets. There are several of this style around the neighborhood. When I first stopped to look at it, my brain was slow to make sense of the circular inscription; I could not readily orient myself to find the start and end of the word. Unfortunately it is just “ELECTRIC,” and there is no maker’s mark on this one.

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N. Clemens Ave., Neenah Foundry Co. water cover

This utility cover is set into the east side of North Clemens Avenue between Michigan and Jerome, near the entrance to the parking lot that runs behind the Green Door bar and other businesses on that block. There is a hole through the company name, but it is the Neenah Foundry Co. of Neenah, Wisconsin.

Neenah Foundry is still in business, though these days they are part of a larger company known as NEI (Neenah Enterprises, Inc.). I’m disappointed that their Web site doesn’t have a company history on it, which is always what I hope for. It does say that they have “almost 150 years of experience” and that their “most recognizable products include manhole covers and frames, inlet frames and grates, tree grates, and cast-iron trench grates in roads and airport runways across America and internationally.”

Looking south toward Michigan. The back of Asian Gourmet and the Green Door can be seen past the parking lot.