Milwaukee Harp Lights

Milwaukee’s street lights feature a fixture officially known as Harp Luminaire but are affectionately known as Harp Lights. They were the brainchild of Jeremiah Sweet, an engineer who worked for the Holophane Company in Ohio, studying street lighting problems. He came to Milwaukee in 1915 to help solve Milwaukee’s problem of street lighting. He founded an engineering firm and designed the distinctive harp fixtures to solve Milwaukee’s street lighting issue.
The lights, manufactured by the Holophane Company, went into service in 1916 and have been with us ever since. In fact, the Harp Luminaire were declared a city landmark in 1975.
The Holophane Company still manufactures Harp Luminaire for Milwaukee, although the modern lamps use modern technology to make them more efficient. You can purchase your own Harp Luminaire, in either full size or a more manageable ¼ size.