On a weekend trip to Universal Studios, I went out of my way to get a couple decent photos of the white CA 134 spade on southbound CA 170 approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange. Aside from NPS sourced shields, is this the last white California spade left in field?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52786804800_52ee02b016_4k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oqAb19)IMG_0434 (https://flic.kr/p/2oqAb19) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52786408616_96a7bf8e5b_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oqy9eo)IMG_0436 (https://flic.kr/p/2oqy9eo) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
There is a CA-163 white spade.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_nb_exit_001a_06.jpg)
I don't know if that "counts" or not. There are also a few signs along PCH that refer to it as a safety corridor, and use white spades.
There is (or was) also one for CA-154 in Santa Barbara for a long time. I know a pic of it got posted here once, but I can't find it offhand.
There was also one for CA-118. (Referencing when CA-118 extended farther east towards Pasadena).
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19611181i1.jpg&hash=92b406c61c6a03b825045c2e00ad89a5e65e9f8e)
However, I can't verify if this is still standing or not. (And not too far from where this pic was taken, you can find some all-black Interstate shields on 405 BGS).
Someone else mentioned that CA 118 shield on a Facebook group, how long ago did you take your photo?
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 01, 2023, 08:44:03 PM
Someone else mentioned that CA 118 shield on a Facebook group, how long ago did you take your photo?
Not my photo, but it's dated from 2007.
I'm gonna search and see if I can find that CA-154 spade again, I know it got posted a couple years back because I specifically made a thread asking about what white miner spades still remained.
Found it!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi96.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl200%2Fmrkf%2Fmtr2-55_154-bw_zpszy7jiram.jpg&hash=ba3ce1060d1e174b05106b70abb9b671fa68a86e)
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:41:33 PM
There is (or was) also one for CA-154 in Santa Barbara for a long time. I know a pic of it got posted here once, but I can't find it offhand.
There was also one for CA-118. (Referencing when CA-118 extended farther east towards Pasadena).
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19611181i1.jpg&hash=92b406c61c6a03b825045c2e00ad89a5e65e9f8e)
However, I can't verify if this is still standing or not. (And not too far from where this pic was taken, you can find some all-black Interstate shields on 405 BGS).
The CA 118 shield was removed between Jan 2009 and Oct 2011 - https://goo.gl/maps/C56iD558HuQyQLPd9
The CA 154 shield was removed before the 1st GMSV in Nov 2007 - https://goo.gl/maps/PSf8NaEKyvvX59RM8
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:47:55 PM
Found it!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi96.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl200%2Fmrkf%2Fmtr2-55_154-bw_zpszy7jiram.jpg&hash=ba3ce1060d1e174b05106b70abb9b671fa68a86e)
It should be noted that photo was taken during a roadgeeking meet ages and ages ago. You can see me in the picture, and I think my daughter came with (she was under 10 at the time; she's now working on her dissertation and PhD).
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:37:47 PM
There is a CA-163 white spade.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_nb_exit_001a_06.jpg)
I don't know if that "counts" or not. There are also a few signs along PCH that refer to it as a safety corridor, and use white spades.
It should be a Historic U.S.-395 shield. CA-163 didn't exist (or rather wasn't designated as such) during the white spade era.
Quote from: theroadwayone on April 01, 2023, 11:06:31 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:37:47 PM
There is a CA-163 white spade.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_nb_exit_001a_06.jpg)
I don't know if that "counts" or not. There are also a few signs along PCH that refer to it as a safety corridor, and use white spades.
It should be a Historic U.S.-395 shield. CA-163 didn't exist (or rather wasn't designated as such) during the white spade era.
They actually screwed up and had it US-163 prior.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_historic_route_signage.jpg)
They replaced a mistake with another mistake.
I seen Oahu area freeways use White State Highway Spades before. At first glance they look like the old California route shields though until I saw closely that it's more pointed than a California spade.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/8270/30341322595_03d9907841_b.jpg)
Yes, similar shape but not quite the same. The older template had the state name on them, too.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FHI%2FHI19560302i1.jpg&hash=f3902936b9a6a67bf47db145e5a304e4ccba9883)
I think of them more as "raindrop shields" and less "miner spades."
The Division of Highways sent an engineer to assist the military during World War II with road development on the Hawaiian islands. I suspect that played as an influence for the shape of the Hawaii Route shield. The Hawaii Route Spade originally appeared on secondary roads in the World War II era highway network on Oahu.
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 11:07:25 PM
Quote from: theroadwayone on April 01, 2023, 11:06:31 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:37:47 PM
There is a CA-163 white spade.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_nb_exit_001a_06.jpg)
I don't know if that "counts" or not. There are also a few signs along PCH that refer to it as a safety corridor, and use white spades.
It should be a Historic U.S.-395 shield. CA-163 didn't exist (or rather wasn't designated as such) during the white spade era.
They actually screwed up and had it US-163 prior.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_historic_route_signage.jpg)
They replaced a mistake with another mistake.
A mistake, may I add, that won't get fixed for quite a while. Maybe not in our lifetimes.
I'm fine with that. I kind of like white spades.
Quote from: Quillz on April 02, 2023, 01:30:56 PM
Yes, similar shape but not quite the same. The older template had the state name on them, too.
Yes, I think they're supposed to be raindrops, not spades.
Quote from: ClassicHasClass on April 03, 2023, 09:03:19 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 02, 2023, 01:30:56 PM
Yes, similar shape but not quite the same. The older template had the state name on them, too.
Yes, I think they're supposed to be raindrops, not spades.
That's the impression I got. I noticed there is no wide variant, though. You'll just see thinner numbers for three-digit highways. Not a bad shield design but could be improved a bit. Perhaps an arched "HAWAII" (similar to what California does) could help fill it out a bit more. (Right now the numbers aren't centered so the shield just looks really empty and unbalanced).
Personally, I always preferred the white CA shields (which were already being replaced by green ones when I was born). And the ones with the bear were really cool. Not crazy about the plain green - especially as it ends up being just an outline (or looking like one) on BGS'.
The Bear Shield with the black border IMO was the most aesthetically pleasing spade design. I do prefer the current green spade to the white 1956-63 iteration.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 04, 2023, 05:29:52 PM
The Bear Shield with the black border IMO was the most aesthetically pleasing spade design. I do prefer the current green spade to the white 1956-63 iteration.
Agreed. I loved the bear symbol. It's used on other signs and created some consistency and branding. It could have been modernized fairly easily.
Quote from: bing101 on April 02, 2023, 09:14:42 AM
I seen Oahu area freeways use White State Highway Spades before. At first glance they look like the old California route shields though until I saw closely that it's more pointed than a California spade.
(https://sites.google.com/site/usroads/IMG_5822.jpg)
Quote from: Quillz on April 02, 2023, 01:30:56 PM
Yes, similar shape but not quite the same. The older template had the state name on them, too.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FHI%2FHI19560302i1.jpg&hash=f3902936b9a6a67bf47db145e5a304e4ccba9883)
I think of them more as "raindrop shields" and less "miner spades."
I see some similarities with the OR shields too. They look somewhat like the miner's spades, but turned upside down.
Yeah, I do wish the bear logo would carry over to the current shields, come to think of it. While the current (green) shields are pretty good, it was the bear that made them timeless.
Here is a 3 digit Hawaii State Route.
(https://www.aaroads.com/shields/img/HI/HI19561441i1.jpg)
Here is a more interesting one there's a Hawaii State Route that has a state route on 4 digits.http://www.hawaiihighways.com/moanalua-freeway-exit3.jpg (http://www.hawaiihighways.com/moanalua-freeway-exit3.jpg)
This is Hawaii State Route 7310. 4 digits state routes does not exist in California.
(https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.1103987081.7690/st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.u1.jpg)CA-17 at the time Nimitz freeway opened in the 1950's.
(https://ca-17.com/images/California_17.svg)Here is the CA-17 since the 1964 renumbering.
QuoteI see some similarities with the OR shields too. They look somewhat like the miner's spades, but turned upside down.
Best called convergent evolution, as I think it was a simplification of the state seal (the older shields were cutouts with eagles; many examples in the AARoads gallery).
Quote from: bing101 on April 02, 2023, 09:14:42 AM
I seen Oahu area freeways use White State Highway Spades before. At first glance they look like the old California route shields though until I saw closely that it's more pointed than a California spade.
(https://sites.google.com/site/usroads/IMG_5822.jpg)
Steel guitar pick?
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 11:07:25 PM
Quote from: theroadwayone on April 01, 2023, 11:06:31 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 01, 2023, 08:37:47 PM
There is a CA-163 white spade.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_nb_exit_001a_06.jpg)
I don't know if that "counts" or not. There are also a few signs along PCH that refer to it as a safety corridor, and use white spades.
It should be a Historic U.S.-395 shield. CA-163 didn't exist (or rather wasn't designated as such) during the white spade era.
They actually screwed up and had it US-163 prior.
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images163/ca-163_historic_route_signage.jpg)
They replaced a mistake with another mistake.
Hah, that's as good as the I-30BL in St Helens, Oregon, instead on US 30B!
If we are looking at strictly aesthetics and nothing else, my two favorite spades are:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19340011i1.jpg&hash=c39f411d61d56d2b9bba38384979c59932cbcf9d)
The original borderless bear spades. I'm not sure how many of these actually got posted in the field, it seems they were replaced pretty fast (as soon as 1938). I can see why, being able to see them from a distance would have been very tough without that border. However, I think this design, modernized, can work well as a marker, since the background would be green and thus you don't need any border, you just need to maximize white space.
Modernized take
(https://i.imgur.com/E3T8wxl.png)
My other favorite would be the 1948-1959 bear spades. These used the modern fonts and modern retroreflective materials, combined with the old template. Main issue was the wider spade hadn't been thought of yet, so you see condensed fonts (mainly Series C) in most instances. That was the main limitation of the bear spades, they only came in one size. They were a bit narrower than the modern template, about 22" by 25".
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19480801i1.jpg&hash=5ab5f0a1235bcb775957693e9a7ad39f8b8c2a3e)
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
historic black-on-white, white base
(https://i.imgur.com/O4gPPuV.png)
modern white-on-green
(https://i.imgur.com/Wei1NNb.png)
It's all about the bear logo. You see it on many other signs in California (welcome signs, historic site signs, etc.) It's good branding and consistent. Gives the signs within the state a unique feel and some charm. Which is why when it was lost on the modern spades, ugh... Never sat right with me. I also don't like the modern spades feel like they've got a ton of wasted space. The arched "California" fills it out a little bit, but not enough. The older bear spades did a better job of using the entire template. I noticed on the bear spades, the bear faced to the right. However, on the state flag and all other signs in the state that feature a bear, it faces left.
The G26-2 three digit US Route shield is one of the few wide shields I tend find aesthetically pleasing. Most wide shield variants tend to look (for a lack of a better term) obese and unappealing to the eye. Granted, my perspective is a guy who collects signs and not as a highways engineer responsible for MUTCD compliant signage.
Here is are two examples of three digit standard width G28-2 shields. The numbers look a little odd given they are substantially smaller than normal:
https://flic.kr/p/RTSoV4
https://flic.kr/p/2nfNpnW
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 06, 2023, 05:11:28 PM
The G26-2 three digit US Route shield is one of the few wide shields I tend find aesthetically pleasing. Most wide shield variants tend to look (for a lack of a better term) obese and unappealing to the eye. Granted, my perspective is a guy who collects signs and not as a highways engineer responsible for MUTCD compliant signage.
Here is are two examples of three digit standard width G28-2 shields. The numbers look a little odd given they are substantially smaller than normal:
https://flic.kr/p/RTSoV4
https://flic.kr/p/2nfNpnW
See I disagree slightly there. I don't like that the legend has to be made smaller to fit. I like the modern wide spade, however, where I think it works best is when you see those custom D(M) digits that Caltrans used to use a ton. Because it fills out the spacing as much as possible.
I think this is your photo:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKQPHuCIgP3JoOibzWMDOxH9F5JadcwRLELNmDdROdbC30Q_PW47_ttsSzVDUYgCGAkl85gbzddqR_nVktUNqqM_AY2zjDlVO11JNHLKrz1iSYHqn7MDwmkZWQh-0-0a3Cw98kmXPLQ_ah4fodQr3PadJsewS9rJuGUUHDF-CXEiNg7RsApo/s4032/IMG_0493.JPG)
While the placement of the "120" is a bit haphazard, I like it overall. Fills out most of the space, the slightly thicker digits make it legible, using proper sized digits.
Amusing how I can sometimes barely recognize the photos I've taken. To me though, that's a more idea use of a standard width G28-2 shield for three digits. Those appear to be standard size numbers.
Quote from: Quillz on April 06, 2023, 04:37:05 PM
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
Love these. Particularly this one. That being said, if California ever changed its highway shields, they would not continue with the gold rush theme due to the current and future political climate in the capitol.
Quote from: Occidental Tourist on April 07, 2023, 12:00:57 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 06, 2023, 04:37:05 PM
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
Love these. Particularly this one. That being said, if California ever changed its highway shields, they would not continue with the gold rush theme due to the current and future political climate in the capitol.
Yes, I don't foresee the shields ever being changed going forward. Although I wonder how many people even know the shields are shaped like a spade (itself a Gold Rush reference). Oddly enough, an article about the old highway shields that KCET published said the grizzly bear was the more "problematic" aspect of them, due to their extinction within the state since 1922.
Article: https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/what-does-californias-state-highway-shield-symbolize
Quote from: Quillz on April 06, 2023, 04:37:05 PM
If we are looking at strictly aesthetics and nothing else, my two favorite spades are:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19340011i1.jpg&hash=c39f411d61d56d2b9bba38384979c59932cbcf9d)
The original borderless bear spades. I'm not sure how many of these actually got posted in the field, it seems they were replaced pretty fast (as soon as 1938). I can see why, being able to see them from a distance would have been very tough without that border. However, I think this design, modernized, can work well as a marker, since the background would be green and thus you don't need any border, you just need to maximize white space.
Modernized take
(https://i.imgur.com/E3T8wxl.png)
My other favorite would be the 1948-1959 bear spades. These used the modern fonts and modern retroreflective materials, combined with the old template. Main issue was the wider spade hadn't been thought of yet, so you see condensed fonts (mainly Series C) in most instances. That was the main limitation of the bear spades, they only came in one size. They were a bit narrower than the modern template, about 22" by 25".
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19480801i1.jpg&hash=5ab5f0a1235bcb775957693e9a7ad39f8b8c2a3e)
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
historic black-on-white, white base
(https://i.imgur.com/O4gPPuV.png)
modern white-on-green
(https://i.imgur.com/Wei1NNb.png)
It's all about the bear logo. You see it on many other signs in California (welcome signs, historic site signs, etc.) It's good branding and consistent. Gives the signs within the state a unique feel and some charm. Which is why when it was lost on the modern spades, ugh... Never sat right with me. I also don't like the modern spades feel like they've got a ton of wasted space. The arched "California" fills it out a little bit, but not enough. The older bear spades did a better job of using the entire template. I noticed on the bear spades, the bear faced to the right. However, on the state flag and all other signs in the state that feature a bear, it faces left.
Nice one on the pre-1964 California state route shields.
Quote from: Quillz on April 06, 2023, 04:37:05 PM
(text and pics deleted)
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
historic black-on-white, white base
(https://i.imgur.com/O4gPPuV.png)
modern white-on-green
(https://i.imgur.com/Wei1NNb.png)
It's all about the bear logo. You see it on many other signs in California (welcome signs, historic site signs, etc.) It's good branding and consistent. Gives the signs within the state a unique feel and some charm. Which is why when it was lost on the modern spades, ugh... Never sat right with me. I also don't like the modern spades feel like they've got a ton of wasted space. The arched "California" fills it out a little bit, but not enough. The older bear spades did a better job of using the entire template. I noticed on the bear spades, the bear faced to the right. However, on the state flag and all other signs in the state that feature a bear, it faces left.
I gotta say I really like that green and white design. If California ever decides to change their highway markers and held a vote, that would probably be my top pick.
Thanks. It's interesting to note that white-on-green was chosen because of informal tests that suggested the color scheme was more visible than black-on-white during nighttime and hazy weather conditions. I wonder if more proper tests conducted today would come to the same result. Because I'm not sure how well that actually holds up. It seems the age of the sign/shield is more a factor than the specific color scheme. (Of course, it was also noted that having the new color scheme was partly the motivation for eliminating a lot of US highways within the state).
Quote from: StogieGuy7 on April 04, 2023, 04:55:57 PM
Personally, I always preferred the white CA shields (which were already being replaced by green ones when I was born). And the ones with the bear were really cool. Not crazy about the plain green - especially as it ends up being just an outline (or looking like one) on BGS'.
I believe that was intentional. California has always had "outline" shields from the very beginning. The earliest BGS would actually have been BBS (white legend on black background), and thus the spades were just outlined. This technically made them the wrong color, but there were also white signs that used outlines, thus the proper black-on-white. IIRC, I believe California was given an exception to keep using outline shields into the modern BGS era, because otherwise they would need to have a white background against the green. (Although had California just kept the original color scheme, this would have worked out fine).
Example of the early big black signs, demonstrating the original "outline:"
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19550071i1.jpg&hash=bc79b5167d931af3147233114bb5422de8b42b3b)
Example of a standard sign, since it had a white background the marker itself was also an "outline:"
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19360101i1.jpg&hash=3ef601022175512ee0cbace007edebdf1ba0dbc4)
That said, I don't really care for the outline look. I do think it harms legibility. This is why I liked what Idaho did (prior to 2020), when they used a reversed color scheme specifically for BGS. So the shields had white legend on black background, but the markers were black legend on white background. Something like that could work on California BGS, effectively green legend on white background. That is, if the intent is to have a white background for improved legibility.
The story I always heard was that BPR put their foot down and required the freeway shields to be the same color as the independent-mount signs. Thus the white shields on freeway signage. Caltrans much preferred outline shields, so they changed the independent-mount shields to be green so they could use outline shields and still have the colors match the way BPR wanted.
As for why the color of signage is green rather than black, that has to do with federal standard. It wasn't anything so formal as evaluating nighttime conditions as it was a popularity poll. The head of BPR at the time was Bertram Tallamy, who had previously run the New York Thruway Authority, which used blue signs, and he wanted that to become federal standard. Other people within the agency were pushing for green. (Complicating matters was that Tallamy was colorblind and so wasn't really the best judge of visibility in this case.) So the solution was to just set up a test track, with blue, green, and California black, and ask drivers to vote for which one they liked the best. Green won and it wasn't particularly close. Black was the least popular option.
Just went by the white 134 on the 170 Hollywood Fwy yesterday. Looks great.
I'm kind of surprised Virginia's state highway shield hasn't been mentioned yet. It sort of looks like an upside down version of California's spade symbol, but the top of Virginia's spade is flat and the bottom of it isn't pointed. The first time I saw it (back when I was a kid) the shape reminded me of a Pepto-Bismol tablet.
Here's my pic of it, from last February.
I thought it just faded, so I learned something new this week...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805244891_9a489d3e1c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2osdFAK)
Quote from: Bobby5280 on April 09, 2023, 04:33:16 PM
I'm kind of surprised Virginia's state highway shield hasn't been mentioned yet. It sort of looks like an upside down version of California's spade symbol, but the top of Virginia's spade is flat and the bottom of it isn't pointed. The first time I saw it (back when I was a kid) the shape reminded me of a Pepto-Bismol tablet.
I really want to like those shields, but I've tried turning them into cutouts and something about them just bugs me aesthetically. I think they're too wide. But they are some of my favorite state highway shields if only because it's something different. (Same reason I really like Wisconsin's slice of cheese stuck inside a square shields).
Quote from: formulanone on April 09, 2023, 06:44:06 PM
Here's my pic of it, from last February.
I thought it just faded, so I learned something new this week...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805244891_9a489d3e1c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2osdFAK)
Ironically, resistance to fading is one of the cited reasons white-on-green was chosen. The problem with black is it can fade very quickly in sunlight, whereas white-on-green can go a really long time. I've come across some faded shields and the color scheme is still recognizable.
Got an example of how fade resistant green spades are in my garage:
https://flic.kr/p/H49k4Y
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 09, 2023, 10:46:03 PM
Got an example of how fade resistant green spades are in my garage:
https://flic.kr/p/H49k4Y
Nice. I don't know what era that spec is, but I love it. One of my all-time favorite California road signs:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fshields%2Fimg%2FCA%2FCA19790058i1.jpg&hash=1873236d336fd4a4561f548f53a4f6aff49ee97d)
Unfortunately, never got to see it live. It's near a really pretty rest area just south of Oregon but nowdays it's been replaced by shields (not markers) which don't work as well.
Quote from: Quillz on April 07, 2023, 02:35:36 PM
Quote from: Occidental Tourist on April 07, 2023, 12:00:57 PM
Quote from: Quillz on April 06, 2023, 04:37:05 PM
I've used these as the basis for my modernized recreations:
historic black-on-white, black base
(https://i.imgur.com/JbzRjhb.png)
Love these. Particularly this one. That being said, if California ever changed its highway shields, they would not continue with the gold rush theme due to the current and future political climate in the capitol.
Yes, I don't foresee the shields ever being changed going forward. Although I wonder how many people even know the shields are shaped like a spade (itself a Gold Rush reference). Oddly enough, an article about the old highway shields that KCET published said the grizzly bear was the more "problematic" aspect of them, due to their extinction within the state since 1922.
Article: https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/what-does-californias-state-highway-shield-symbolize (https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/what-does-californias-state-highway-shield-symbolize)
Good point its a gold rush reference.
I have yet to find a photograph anywhere, but I also recall a white shield on an advanced BGS for the CA-20 exit from US-101 near Calpella. That was posted at least until the early 2000's, and was the only one I ever saw here in Northern California since I had started driving (which was in 1995).
Quote from: jdbx on April 11, 2023, 12:19:33 PM
I have yet to find a photograph anywhere, but I also recall a white shield on an advanced BGS for the CA-20 exit from US-101 near Calpella. That was posted at least until the early 2000's, and was the only one I ever saw here in Northern California since I had started driving (which was in 1995).
There used to be one at the s/b 101 to e/b 37 ramp https://goo.gl/maps/R1eF1poiAtnLCqeSA with a white 37 spade until the mid-2000's. I can't think of any others, though.
There were white CA-20 shields used on signs at the junction of I-80 and CA-20 up until the early 1990s.
Put this to blog form with all known white spade locations reference in Part 2:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/08/the-last-1956-63-era-california-sign.html?m=1