Streets and Statues while walking Bedford Falls: The Iluminated Street lamps and Soldier Statue

   I suppose when navigating Bedford Falls its nature to expect street signs, but those installed in our Bedford Falls have a flair about them that I always noticed when watching the film. The Victorian old style of the lamp posts always seem to be a great fit with the Holiday atmosphere and decorations you think of when you picture George making his run through town. The village collection rightly choose to include these as another accessory for the town and are some of the best although sadly hardest to find in the collection.
   The lamp posts though show up early in the film and either through cost or continued appeal keep throughout the 1920's right up to the shows ending in the 1940's. Here is one of the early shots when George is young.

Both sides of the street

    Later on, before marriage and still attempting to leave town we get some closer shots of the town lamps.

Busy street along with another chance to highlight pretty Violet and the near hit on one of her many admirers.  

Even later we can see that the lamp posts have remained, and even in the Pottersville timeline the cheap ruling Mr. Potter has apparently kept the street lamps as well. We catch a glimpse of the CHIRSTmas decorating on the posts if you look closely. 

Same posts ala 1940's

Close up of some of the CHRISTmas decoratiosn on the lamp posts

Pottersville lamp posts remain the same. Nice glow at night

   Earlier though we get our best close up shot of the lamps and can begin to see some details. Note the slight differences in the village placement of the street names. 

Best close up of the lamps in the film. 

  Click to Read on ...

   Here we can see that the lamp posts contain three bulbs and do indeed serve as street signs as well as lighting. The style is as far as I can tell from a turn of the century through 1920's vintage. Some towns still have and use them obviously like Lewisburg Pennsylvania. Reading here, you can see they have a version that is very similar to our Bedford Falls type. Signs like this can still be purchased if you are of a mind to. The first thing that comes to mind is that they reminded me also of the old Sesame Street sign too for some reason.

Sort of ...

   Looking back at the screen shot, we get to discover the names of some of the Beford Falls streets as well. Just assuming, I would think that Jefferson street is a likely normal namesake of our (American) 3rd President. The other street; GENESEE has more curious reasons for it's choice. My best guess is that the name comes from a NY county of the same name, or perhaps some kind of relationship with the now defunct Genesee car manufacturing company also originating in New York state. Now connecting the dots, the county name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo, meaning "the Beautiful Valley" and as most know there is a connection to the Seneca namesake and It's a Wonderful Life. 

Capra with a behind the scenes look at the lamp posts in the background

Behind the scenes above look with streets illuminated by all the street lamp posts

  Lastly, from the movie lot there is a shot that mentions the locations listed on the street lamps in regards to the set street locations. (Below). 

Photo caption reads: Genesee Street looking toward the courthouse.Bottom: Genesee Street looking toward the Station

         Moving from illumination to just admiration, we can start to describe the other accessory in this post. The Enesco Soldier Statue piece is one of my favorites for a lot of reasons. I like the idea of using is as part of the town square or centre area. I like that the town values and appreciates its history and veterans enough to put the statue up in the first place, and I also like the simple traditional design of the statue itself. Our best look of the statue is when Uncle Billy is running with George scrambling to locate the missing money. It's also directly behind that famous Bedford Falls sign. 

Lower visible part of the Statue. Also notice the other single bulb lamp type in Beford Falls. 

  We get the same glimpse at night when George is wandering lost in Pottersville too. Unfortunately the same lower glimpse only again.

Statue remains in Pottersville

Target Version

    

      I think everyone agrees that the statue must be an American Civil War tribute as the design and location match the setting. There were likely very few World War 1 specific statues up at this point, and other conflicts are even less likely. The statue is not a simple replica of the Seneca County statue of the same assumed theme.New York provided the most manpower to the war effort and after the war typically was able to fund the most and largest memorials and statues. Both Enesco and Target village planners seemed to follow this logic when they designed and placed a union soldier atop the pedestal we see. There are multiple status that have this design across the Northern states and Southern for that matter. 

Example of common Union Civil War statue

  There is no lettering or points of reference besides just the look and musket the statue holds so all this is just assumption. Without further delay, here are the Enesco pieces and unboxing. Both are pieces I believe are some of the best for bringing the village to life and breaks the pattern of the numerous square buildings. As I type this, ironically it is Veterans Day so I would like to also offer a prayer and last link as a small honor to the many veterans and armed services that have and do serve. It's their sacrifice that helped create a world and life that we appreciate and love that we see portrayed in the film. 

"Four-F on account of his ear, George fought the battle of Bedford Falls"

  First the Eneso Street Lamps.

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps: I like the snow

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps: 

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

Enesco Illuminated Street Lamps

  And some of the Enesco Soldier Statue as well.

 Enesco Soldier Statue:

 Enesco Soldier Statue:

 Enesco Soldier Statue:

 Enesco Soldier Statue: Lower base 

 Enesco Soldier Statue:

 Enesco Soldier Statue:

 Enesco Soldier Statue: Front

 Enesco Soldier Statue: Rear

 Enesco Soldier Statue: