Collecting Pole Tags
Story by Tom Wisser, Photos by Hans Kettenburg
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", July 1988, page 20
One of the few collectors from the "outside" to stop by and visit
here in Alaska, on a semi-regular basis, is Tom Wisser from New Jersey. Tom told
me about his interest in collecting "pole tags" and I thought it would
be a good subject for the "Go-With" column. He brought the tags along
on his next visit and left them with me to be photographed. ---- Hans
Are you looking for a go-with that is easy to find, free, takes little space,
and really looks nice when cleaned and polished? Don't bother about the fact
that it may be dented, just hammer it out and nail it to a board. Interested?
Well, chances are that there is a utility pole close to your home, and on that
pole is a pole tag. if you still have wooden poles in your area your local
utility has identified that pole somehow.
That's where I got my first tag.
Atlantic City Electric used a round copper tag identifying the utility, pole
number and line code. It was nailed to the pole using a copper date nail
denoting the year the pole was set. When these are shined, they are really
pretty. Then I started seeing different dates. Now I have a complete set from
1921 to 1956. During the war years a steel date nail was used. From 1956 to
today, A.C.E. uses an aluminum tag and plain nails.
1. Unknown. Aluminum, shown actual size
2. Salt Lake City, Utah. Aluminum, shown actual size
3. Found on a pole in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Aluminum, shown actual size
4. Mostly found around Cape Charles, Virginia, on the eastern shore.
Aluminum, actual size is 3/4" x 6-1/2"
5. Rutland, Vermont. Aluminum, actual size 3/4" x 7-3/4"
6. Found in and around Saratoga, New York. Aluminum, actual size 1-1/8"
x 6-1/4"
 |
WHAT ARE THESE? They are aluminum and and shown in actual size. |
Then I started looking at poles in other areas and I found an assortment of
different and varied shaped tags. I travel frequently for the government and
when I stay over in a new area I check the poles around the hotel or airport.
Taking our aircraft into a new airport for fuel or pit stop, I've been known to
go check out telco poles while my crew shook their heads and went for coffee.
7. Millville, New Jersey. Very few around. Found on some older poles from about
1930. Millville Electric was taken over by the Atlantic City Electric Co. which
supplies all of South Jersey. Actual size 3-7/8" x 5-1/2"
8. Unknown. Aluminum, shown actual size
9. Found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on older wooden poles in outlying areas.
Hard to date. Aluminum, actual size 4" x 5-1/2"
So, not only am I adding to my collection, I'm bringing home a pretty nice
souvenir of the area I visited. Now, not all utility companies use tags. Some
only use numbers, as in Anchorage and Billings, but don't get discouraged. In
the next city there may be some really neat ones. By the way -- always mark down
where you pulled the tag or you'll get home from a three week trip and forget
where a tag came from.
Another note of caution -- since the utility uses the tag as an identifier,
take along a waterproof marker and write on the pole any numbers you may find on
the tag. They are important.
On your next vacation, look somewhere near the bottom of the pole before you
look up to see what kind of insulators are being used. Bring home something
besides that ashtray or T-shirt that will enhance your collection and add that
personal touch. And the price is right! Good collecting.
10. West Coast Telephone Co. Washington District. Shown actual size.
11. City of Cascade Locks, Oregon Power & Light. Shown actual size
12.
These three tags above are from Dave Gillespie and are made of brass.
13. Atlantic City Electric. This tag was found with a 1954 date nail in it.
Copper, shown actual size.
14. Public Service Company New Hampshire. Aluminum, shown actual size.
15. Dover Power & Light. Pretty yellow & black enameled tag. Shown
actual size.
16. Long Island Lighting. Cut out letters. Aluminum, shown actual size.
17. New York Telephone Co. Cut out letters. Aluminum, shown actual size.
18. New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. Aluminum, shown actual size.
19. Patchogue Electric Co., Long Island, NY. Aluminum, actual size
1-1/2" x 8-1/2"
20. Boston Edison, Aluminum, actual size 1" x 2-3/4"
21. Southern New England Telephone Co. Copper, shown actual size
22. American Telephone & Telegraph Co. Aluminum, shown actual size
23. C.T.&T. CO. Aluminum, shown actual size. Unknown company
24. Unknown. Aluminum, shown actual size
25. Found in the Spokane, Washington, area. Aluminum, actual size
2-1/4" x 8"
26. Found on poles outside a motel in Val D'Or, Quebec, Canada. Aluminum,
actual size 1-5/6" x 9"
27. Cumberland Valley, London, Kentucky. Aluminum, actual size 1-1/8" x
6"
28. Odessa, Texas. Aluminum, actual size 3/4" x 4-3/8"
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)