In the early days of the automobile, before automated streetlights were common, traffic at intersections was directed by an attendant in a control tower. This attendant would manually switch the familiar red, yellow, and green lights in a regulated pattern. In 1925, one such tower was installed at a high traffic crossroads in Meriden, Connecticut. The distinctive structure quickly became a popular landmark and often appeared on postcards from the city. The Meriden Daily News Journal even ran a news column in its paper titled The Traffic Tower in honor…
