WOODLAND — Replicas of steel rings that for decades were used for hitching horses in downtown Woodland have been removed by the city after being deemed unsafe. To the surprise of a local historian, workers took down more than 30 of the historic steel rings from sidewalks last week.

The rings — most of them replicas of original rings from 100 years ago — were once heavily used by horseback-riding visitors to downtown businesses.

City officials, however, said the rings presented a safety hazard. An elderly man tripped and fell over one ring earlier this month, said Public Works Director Steve Branz on Tuesday.

But Woodland historian Walt Hansen said the rings were a tribute to the city’s earliest years and have been in place for a century without problems. Hansen has lead the effort since 1960 to keep the rings and in 2001 helped raise money to replace deteriorating rings on Davidson Avenue.

“I’m a strong believer in historic preservation,” he said.

The rings are important because, unlike many towns, Woodland developed well before automobiles and trains rolled through the area, Hansen said.

“Woodland was built as a riverboat town. As this area settled… why then horses became a main means of transportation until the railroad came in 1903,” Hansen said. The city was officially established in 1906, but Hansen said farmers settled in the Woodland Bottoms by the mid 1800s.

Hansen said he and Woodland’s downtown revitalization group have worked with the city for decades to keep the rings. He was shocked to learn last week that the city removed all but a couple of rings without notifying the downtown group.

Branz said it’s his job to identify safety hazards on city property. He approached the city council last Monday about removing the rings and no one objected, he said. Branz said he’s saved the rings.

The city’s only steel ring that wasn't replaced by a replica over the years remains in place. The century-old ring is located east of Davidson Avenue on Park Street.

The man who tripped over one of the rings appeared to have bruising on his head from the fall, Branz said.

“That person merely came by and said ‘I want you to know those things are a problem,’ ” Branz said.

No lawsuits have been filed against the city over the rings, he said.

Hansen said the decision seemed abrupt. Many local residents donated hundreds of dollars in 2001 to replace deteriorating rings on Davidson Avenue and receive a dedication block next to the ring.

Of the 33 horse rings on Davidson Avenue, 23 rings had private sponsors, Hansen said.

“If those people want their money back, who’s going to pay it back? Is the city going to pay it back or is downtown revitalization going to pay it back?” he said.