There was a brief tornado watch in western Massachusetts on Saturday and someone on social media was asking about the siren warning system.

On a walk recently, I looked up and said what the heck is that cone shaped thing on the telephone pole?

Inactive air raid sirens can be still be spotted on some utility poles in Massachusetts. On a neighborhood walk yesterday, I snapped a pic of a old air raid siren atop a pole. This particular picture was taken in Pittsfield, MA.

Air raid sirens were to alert the public impending danger during World War II. They were later used to alert people to a nuclear attack or other natural disasters like tornadoes.

Evidence Of A Fearful Memory Spotted In Massachusetts: Air Raid Sirens

Was constructed between 1939 and 1960. Represents an important phase in the history of civil defense during World War II and the Cold Wars one of the four air raid siren design types - rotating - birdhouse - wire spool and flattened birdhouse. 

Depending on where you lived, during the cold war era, the department of civil defense would test these sirens on Fridays at noon or daily at noon.

The US installed air raid sirens in many cities during WWII. During the Cold War these sirens were reactivated and additional sirens were installed throughout the country. They were tested weekly at 10:20 am on Fridays during the 1950s. As tensions relaxed they were no longer tested weekly. -quora

Most air raid sirens were taken down by the 1990's or 2000, but some still remain.