photos of old signs on the internet

[707]

This isn't the best photo, but I recently got this 1961 MUTCD US 6 sign from an antique store in Cottonwood, Arizona (which was coincidentally along old US 89A). I don't know what part of US 6 it would have been on though, let alone if it even was on US 6 to begin with.

[hbelkins]

To me, that looks like a New York US 6 sign.

[Brandon]

To me, that looks like a New York US 6 sign.

I've seen similar in Illinois.  It could be anywhere from Nevada to Mass.

[707]

To me, that looks like a New York US 6 sign.

I've seen similar in Illinois.  It could be anywhere from Nevada to Mass.

So I'm guessing there's no way to know where this sign came from then?

[Brandon]

To me, that looks like a New York US 6 sign.

I've seen similar in Illinois.  It could be anywhere from Nevada to Mass.

So I'm guessing there's no way to know where this sign came from then?

Not without seeing if it has a sticker on the back placed there by the state's DOT.

[Billy F 1988]

This was well before the reconfiguration. This may have been taken in the 80's.

[CanesFan27]

Another example of I-79 signed through Pittsburgh.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/7b506e82302179a80a66710922e65282/tumblr_mxpsrlG6D41rr5swxo4_1280.jpg

From 1964. I dig the 'Point Exit' sign.

Now if we can locate photos of I-70 being signed through Pittsburgh and I-70S, we'd be set.

[Mr_Northside]

Another example of I-79 signed through Pittsburgh.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/7b506e82302179a80a66710922e65282/tumblr_mxpsrlG6D41rr5swxo4_1280.jpg

From 1964. I dig the 'Point Exit' sign.

Now if we can locate photos of I-70 being signed through Pittsburgh and I-70S, we'd be set.

Nice.

[mwb1848]

By my estimation, this was the LAST button copy sign on I-10 in El Paso.


It was replaced in 2012, with clearview signage. Here is is rolling in on a contractor's truck.

The construction site in the foreground is an unrelated private commercial building.

[rickmastfan67]

Another example of I-79 signed through Pittsburgh.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/7b506e82302179a80a66710922e65282/tumblr_mxpsrlG6D41rr5swxo4_1280.jpg

From 1964. I dig the 'Point Exit' sign.

Now if we can locate photos of I-70 being signed through Pittsburgh and I-70S, we'd be set.

I still want to see a sign for I-479 (1966 - 1971) or I-876 (1971 - 1972) along what is now I-579.  Those two plus I-70/I-70S, then we'd be set.

[CanesFan27]

Another example of I-79 signed through Pittsburgh.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/7b506e82302179a80a66710922e65282/tumblr_mxpsrlG6D41rr5swxo4_1280.jpg

From 1964. I dig the 'Point Exit' sign.

Now if we can locate photos of I-70 being signed through Pittsburgh and I-70S, we'd be set.

I still want to see a sign for I-479 (1966 - 1971) or I-876 (1971 - 1972) along what is now I-579.  Those two plus I-70/I-70S, then we'd be set.

So why aren't you looking for them? 

[PHLBOS]

From the Blizzard of '78:

Canton, MA; I-93 Southbound (old 128 Northbound) approaching I-95.  Note the then-1-year-old BGS' in the distant background and the back of an I-93 shield in the foreground:

These were the first BGS' to show the I-95/93 reroute onto 128.

BGS' read:
95 NORTH
Dedham
NH-Maine
(with 2 downward arrows)

EXIT 62
R.R. Station
University Ave.
1 MILE

EXIT 63
95 SOUTH
Providence (with 45-degree angled right arrow)

Canton, again; I-93 North (old 128 South) approaching the MA 138 North exit ramp (current Exit 2B, then Exit 64N).  BGS is from the early 70s:



Entrance ramp to I-90/Mass Pike Boston Extension (I believe from Mass Ave.):



I-95 Northbound in Pawtucket, RI

[agentsteel53]

on the left post, I see a TO banner, a 57-spec I-90 shield, a downward hooked arrow, and a fourth sign which I do not recognize.  what is it?

also, does the TO imply that the Boston Extension was not I-90 at the time?  or was it just a masso?

[PHLBOS]

on the left post, I see a TO banner, a 57-spec I-90 shield, a downward hooked arrow, and a fourth sign which I do not recognize.  what is it?

also, does the TO imply that the Boston Extension was not I-90 at the time?  or was it just a masso?

Originally, the I-90 designation was only supposed to go as far as Allston/Brighton/Cambridge (Exit 18-20) or where the Inner Belt (I-695) would've interchanged w/it.  The designation was extended to the Artery/Expressway sometime in the early-to-mid 70s (when I-695 was canned for good & the Third Harbor (now Ted Williams) Tunnel was first proposed) and before that pic was taken.  That TO banner was a hold-over from the earlier-eastern terminus of I-90 era.

All of the original Boston Extension BGS' did not include any I-90 shields mounted on them; including the original eastbound pull-through BGS before the Weston (I-95/MA 128) toll plaza.

[roadman]

IIRC, the first BGSes to show the I-95 re-route onto MA 128 were actually the entrance signs from the Goodwin Rotary to I-95/128 SB in Lynnfield.  The ramp was completed in mid to late 1975, which was just after MassDPW had just started implementing the designation change on signs (until the Legislature put a halt to the work).

[PHLBOS]

IIRC, the first BGSes to show the I-95 re-route onto MA 128 were actually the entrance signs from the Goodwin Rotary to I-95/128 SB in Lynnfield.  The ramp was completed in mid to late 1975, which was just after MassDPW had just started implementing the designation change on signs (until the Legislature put a halt to the work).

I know exactly the BGS' you're referring to.  The ones for I-95 south originally had just I-95 shields but the DPW added MA 128 shields (by moving the I-95 shields to the left) later on. 

Personally, I believe those particular BGS (& even the ramp to I-95 South) are 2 years newer than that.  The reasons being:

1.  Along MA 129 between Goodwin's Circle & the US 1 interchange; there was a paddle LGS dated 1976 that listed TO ROUTE 128 NORTH & SOUTH NEXT RIGHT, the next right being the ramp for US 1 North.  Prior to that ramp being built; this was how the DPW directed those seeking to get on MA 128 South from MA 129 West.  Despite it being redundant/obsolete shortly after it was erected, this LGS lingered until the mid-to-late 1980s.

2.  The more modern, steel, ground-mounted BGS' along MA 128 for the US 1 interchange that were erected in 1976-77 made no reference of the I-95 re-route onto MA 128.  The older, 1962-era overhead-mounted BGS' for that interchange (excluding the ones from the Goodwin's Circle) lingered on until 1982 when the DPW replaced all of the BGS'/LGS' for that interchange.  While the fore-mentioned BGS for the US 1 interchange included I-95 shields.  It contained no NORTH cardinal reference.

Southbound 128 BGS' for US 1 (then Exit 30)

EXIT 30
TO  1  95
Boston
NH-Maine

Northbound 128 BGS' for US 1:

1  95
Boston
NH-Maine
NEXT EXITS
---------------
EXIT 30S
1
Boston
-----------
EXIT 30N
TO  1  95
NH-Maine

(note: one can get to US 1 South from this exit if one misses the earlier exit for US 1 South)

3.  During the mid-70s, my family would use this interchange to head to/from Augustine's Restaurant along US 1 North/MA 129 East quite frequently (once a month) and my first observation of those then-new overhead BGS listing 128 South as just I-95 South was at least a year after the fore-mentioned BGS' for the US 1 interchange were erected.

4.  My family moved to what is now my mother's present house in May of 1976 and there were no modern steel BGS' along MA 128 between Stoneham (MA 28) and at least Beverly at that time.

I would've remembered seeing that overhead-mounted BGS for I-95 South from the YDH quite vividly if it was erected in 1975 (when my family was living at our previous house).  It would've been the only like-typed BGS for that entire interchange back then.

5. LGS' listing 128 as I-95 between US 1 and North Ave. first appeared circa 1976-77.  One remaining example of such (lower LGS) is in Wakefield at the Salem St./Montrose Ave. intersection (this one I believe is dated 1977).

http://goo.gl/maps/TZcWC

[kurumi]

At the Connecticut Historical Society: photo looking north on I-91, circa 1965, where a blank spot on the BGS is reserved for the (not yet open to traffic) I-84 westbound: http://emuseum.chs.org:8080/emuseum/view/objects/asitem/id/2134

[CanesFan27]

Taken October 2009 in Hope, AR:


IMG_1026 by Adam's Journey, on Flickr

[agentsteel53]

To me, that looks like a New York US 6 sign.

tough to tell.  every state on US-6 except MA, PA, OH, NE, and CA used a bog-standard '61 spec.  Nevada may have done theirs only in steel.  I know UT, CO, IA, IL, IN, NY, CT, RI all used aluminum with silver scotchlite and a '61 spec shield.

[Alex]

U.S. 41 shield assembly in Brooksville: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6637319585/in/set-72157628197681743

Black and white mileage sign - Brooksville: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6636999289/in/set-72157628197681743

Black and white mileage sign with Ft. Myers - Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6637319835/in/set-72157628197681743

Outline shield for US 98 in Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6638952291/in/set-72157628197681743

One-piece four-way signal in Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6421685575/in/set-72157628197681743

Cutout and Keys shield - Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6594695395/in/set-72157628197681743

Colored U.S. 41 shield and SR 45 keys shield - Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6744796045/in/set-72157628197681743

US highway cutouts - Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6638854281/in/set-72157628197681743

[agentsteel53]

Outline shield for US 98 in Brooksville:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/6638952291/in/set-72157628197681743

this actually appears to have a light-colored background.  thus I believe it's an example of the first Florida color scheme of c. 1952.  alas, every photo I've seen of this scheme has been in black and white, so I have no idea what the colors are. 

other examples I've seen include:
* 1952 dated 98 with medium background (dark yellow?  orange?)

* 1955 dated photo showing FL 50 on very dark background (blue?) and US 17-92 on what appear to be similarly shaded medium background (red and green? both the same?)  all are white outline shields on dark-color background.  FL-527 appears to be black on white.

* 1956 dated photo of 17/92, again reverse-video outline shield, appearing to be the same background color (red or green?)

* 1957 dated photo of dark-background signs (black?  dark green?) with a colored 27 (1956 green?) with a white number, as well as two 60 white outline shields. 

* undated photo with a 41 shield.  white square with a light-colored (yellow?) shield which has a black border inside of the yellow margin and a black solid number 41

[Kniwt]

This one is making the rounds today on the various Streetsblog sites:


No year is given, and the only credit is to "Strong Towns."

[agentsteel53]

looks to me to be a 59-66 Montana license plate, unless the exempt ones were white with black text for a different range of years.

[formulanone]

Found this on Flickr...



you can get there from here by Casa de Dogpoop on Flickr

[agentsteel53]

awesome gantry!  looks like steel shields bolted onto wooden guide signs.  the 24s are fully embossed; the 67s have printed numbers.

I wonder why Cripple Creek and Sedalia are underlined on the left sign.