Those red emergency call boxes still stand in Manhattan, a relic from the early 20th century. NYC began installing these in the 1910s to give people direct access to police and fire services. At one point, there were over 15,000 across the city.

Today, only about two-thirds of those remain functional. The city has debated removing them, citing high maintenance costs and the rise of mobile phones. But accessibility advocates argue they’re still essential for people without phones or with disabilities.

This one I found in Chelsea, like many, has become more street art canvas than emergency tool—but who knows, maybe it’s still technically functional?