During the 1800s, when horses were the primary mode of transportation, these rings served a practical purpose. Imagine bustling streets lined with carriages, the sound of horses’ feet tying to these rings as their owners went about their day. It has been suggested in earlier stories from 1978 in The Register-Guard that these rings may date back to the early 1900s. Cities were formerly designed with horses in mind, since they offered a handy way for homeowners to house their horses, regardless of how old they were.

In Portland, Oregon, these rings are now prized artifacts of the past. For safety reasons, they were often removed during sidewalk building prior to the late 1970s. On the other hand, a Portland resident’s complaint in 1978 rekindled interest in these rings. Connie McCready, the city commissioner, responded by letting the residents request new rings for $5 so they could preserve a piece of history.