Fifth Avenue Traffic Tower, c. 1929

This Traffic Tower, designed by architect Joseph H. Freedlander, was unveiled in December, 1922. It was one of seven commissioned by Fifth Avenue Association. Made entirely of bronze, these 23-foot-high structures were decorated with neoclassical ornament, including four eagles at the corners. Illuminated clocks with bells sounded the hours, and they rested on granite safety islands for pedestrians. By the end of the Twenties, they were viewed as obstacles to traffic flow and replaced by simple bronze lightposts with a figure of Mercury on top.