Discover the Hidden Purpose of This Mysterious Iron Bracket!
July 23, 2024
Source: Reddit
I can still recall the summer afternoons that I spent during my childhood lying on the front porch with a glass of lemonade in my hand and observing the people passing by. In the picture above, the sound of the birds and the buzzing of the electrical power lines were the only sounds of that lazy day. The iron brackets which were screwed to the side of our house and held insulators were as much a part of the view as was the big oak tree in our yard.
Such devices were usually made of iron and were an essential part of the lives of many families; however, people rarely paid attention to them. Attached to the side of houses, they held insulation that made it safe for power lines to connect from poles to houses. These brackets were a clear indication of how creative and efficient the society was during that time when power lines particularly overhead were the basic necessity of life.
These iron brackets can be depicted to have been put in place immediately after the advent of electricity where power was being extended to the people’s homes. With the new connections being made, there was a requirement of a safe and constant manner of transmitting electricity from the street lamps to the houses. The solution was to have strong, iron like holders on the external walls of the houses. These brackets carried porcelain or glass insulators which in turn carried the power lines to make sure that they do not come into contact with the building materials.
In the middle of the 20th century, brackets and insulators of this type were quite common. They were supposed to be the manifestations of the modern age and advancement, especially in the area of power usage in homes. While electricity changed the ways people spent their time, it also changed the objects with which they filled their hours; kitchen appliances and the family radio became indispensable.
In the cultural aspect, the presence of these power lines was a major change in the people’s way of life and productivity. Before the launch of electricity, activities that we now do easily were tedious and a time-consuming process. The availability of electricity paved way for electric lighting thereby eliminating the use of kerosene lamps and candles in the homes thus making homes safer and more efficient. It also brought the use of electric appliances and devices that brought a lot of changes in household works, people got more free time and their standard of living also increased.
In this regard, one can easily identify the constructive role that such infrastructure played in society. The brackets and insulators may not have been major elements, but they served as parts of a greater system that resulted in a shift of social relations. They are a testament of a time when change was not only measurable but was right there on your wall enhancing your house and your life.
So, the next time you are taking a stroll and come across an old house, and you feast your eyes on one of these iron brackets, then you should give a thought to the history behind it. It is a relic amidst the modern structures that is capable of narrating a story about development and the electrification of dreams of a particular generation. Thus, in recalling these what may seem minor aspects, we pay our respect to the creativity and efforts that formed the base of the present society.