A Utility from the Past
It’s true, the horse rings really are what they appear to be, and they did, in fact, serve a very practical purpose, back in the 1800s. Those were the days when horses were the main form of transport and the dusty streets echoed constantly with hooves. Horsemen had tied their horses to these rings when they went about their business, in the early days. Even news stories in The Register-Guard from 1978 say some of those rings could be from the early 1900s. It’s impossible to be precisely sure how old they are, but the old roads imply a time when the city was laid out around the horse, not the car.
Public Desuretyance and Preservatory by Public Enthusiasm
For years construction workers had removed the rings while fixing sidewalks. That started to change in 1978 when one Portand resident found them missing. City Commissioner Connie McCready retaliated by allowing homeowners to replace a ring for $5. This simple motion instilled in me a much greater reverence for these humble little pieces.
Value in culture and Urban Identity
But horse rings are more than simply a utilitarian object; they symbolize a culture where everyone had to share public space, and a time when life moved at a slower pace. They represent a time when a journey from one place to another necessitated being among people, not apart from them. Preserving them connects us to Portland’s urban history and enriches our collective sense of place.
Art and Society: The Horse Project
