Visitors to precincts may notice lights covered in green glass outside. Their use dates back to the 1650s, before New York City was New York City, police explained. The Rattlewatch, the first police force in the area, was developed in 1651
“It was a voluntary patrol composed of citizens appointed by the council. In addition to muskets, its members were equipped with the hand rattles that gave the fledgling police force its name,” Kelly wrote. “They strolled the streets to discourage crime and search for lawbreakers. In times of emergency, they noisily spun their rattles to summon assistance from fellow Rattlewatch members.”
The green lights also go back to the start of the police department, Darrin Porcher, a former NYPD lieutenant, explained. It’s believed the Rattlewatch members carried lanterns with green glass as a means of identification, police said. The Rattlewatch members would hang the lanterns on hooks by the front doors of watch houses to let people know a watchman was there and available.
“They were not 24 hour facilities,” Porcher said. “When the green light was on, that was an indicator to the public that they were available for service.”
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So, when it was a Dutch colony.
I can trace my ancestors to “pre-colonial Ireland”
Actually… now I’m curious about how Irish national history is periodized when it’s taught in school? Like, is the Tudor era one such break point, since that injected the politics of the reformation into things? Before that is it from St. Patrick to then? Or is it St. Patrick to the Norman invasion (which if I’m remembering correct included a colonization of Ireland)?
The history described in that article, as well as the maps included here…
…are what I wish had been done instead of this time lapse:
From what I recall, history covered:
- Bronze age settlement
- Neolithic tombs, Crannógs, beaker people
- the celts
- Christianity, the book of Kells
- Vikings (East Coast)
- strongbow and the Normans
- the fukkin’ Brits
- plantations
- Grainne uaille! (West coast)
- fucking Cromwell & 1690
- 1798! Races of Castlebar! Whoop whoop!
- the act of Union
- Wolfe Tone
- Georgian architecture (neoclassical)
- penal laws
- Catholic emancipation act
- Michael Davitt and the land league
- IRB
- 1916! Whoop whoop!
- it gets kinda murky until about 1972
- EEC & EU
- Celtic Tiger!
- Fuuuuuuuuck!!!
That’s a good reminder that maps are political in nature… I often show students this map, because Africa is up at the top rather than Europe…
Thanks! That seems to make sense to me and what I do know about Irish history.
lol!
double lol!
It’s always kind of a joke, but the Boston Molasses flood was kind of fucked up…
And…
Very interesting… thanks for the history lessons! That terminology including “client” left me wishing for an update, though. 
An interesting report on the life of Lyndon B. Johnson (aka LBJ):
More on LBJ…
I go back and forth between which president is more interesting/consequential from that era - LBJ or Nixon…
