Oldest state welcome signs?

[huskeroadgeek]

What are the oldest state line signs in the country? I ask this because I know Nebraska has had the same "Nebraska-the Good Life" signs as long as I can remember-going back at least to the late 70s. On the other hand, neighboring Iowa has had at least 4 different styles over the same period-"Iowa-a Place to Grow", "Iowa-Come Explore the Heartland", "Iowa-You Make Me Smile" and the current "Iowa-Fields of Opportunities". I've seen others that look old, but having only seem them in the last 10 years or so, I don't know how old they are. Anybody by memory or by picture know of any current signs that are older than Nebraska's?

[papaT10932]

Although New York replaced many of it's interstates's welcome signs, the welcome signs on most of it's state highways (with the state shield on it) are pretty old. The one on Route 94 at the Vernon/Warwick border has been there ever since I've been alive.

I find it as a general rule with welcome signs that the plainer they are, the older they are. The "jazzier" and more colorful ones are usually newer. 

[agentsteel53]

some old alignments of routes have some very old markers.  

On US-6 heading into Utah from Colorado, a stone obelisk is still around (as of 2006) that was photographed by Jim Lindsay in 1970.  

old US-30S heading from Utah to Idaho has the state-outline Idaho marker cut from stone that is a 1970s design.

at the state line on an old US-1 alignment between Virginia and North Carolina, there is an inspection station that has VIRGINIA on a 1930s-looking porcelain sign.

[corco]

Wyoming seems to change their welcome signs every time they come out with a new license plate, with a welcome sign that resembles the new plate issue.

On Wyoming 92 however at the Nebraska Line is a really old sign with a painting of the shape of Nebraska. I'm not sure if this is an official welcome sign or not, but if it is it predates the "Good Life" signs. I'm not positive because it's been over a year since I was there and I don't have photos from that direction, but I'm pretty sure there's not a Good Life sign at the line and the Nebraska painting is the only state line indicator (besides other state line related things like the fresh state highway shield).

I'd imagine the Oregon markers are also a pretty old design- maybe the Colorado too.

[huskeroadgeek]

Interesting-I just checked Street View and there is now a "Good Life" sign on NE 92 just past the Wyoming border. I believe the Street View images there were taken just last year, so perhaps it is new. That would also answer me the question of whether they are putting up new signs-I've seen some minor state highways where there is no sign and I just figured maybe they weren't replacing them.

[corco]

OK, then there is one. I wasn't sure. Upon further review, it looks like the Nebraska painted sign is about half a mile into Wyoming, actually, so false alarm.

[Ian]

There are many stone state line markers (if it counts) along many of PA's borders. The closest to me is on PA 52 at the PA/DE line.

[architect77]

Old, but still my favorite. Small and understated, after all the State's motto is, "To Be, Rather Than to Seem."

[hbelkins]

This one's an oldie. On PA 652 entering the state from New York.

[huskeroadgeek]

This one's an oldie. On PA 652 entering the state from New York.

That's an interesting one. I don't think I've ever seen an overhead state welcome sign on a 2 lane highway before.

[thenetwork]

It seems that many of the two-lane routes entering Ohio have older "OHIO Welcomes You" signs at their borders.  Well, lets say that SOME of those state line signs are old...They have used the same style for non-interstate/expressway "simple signs" for over 40 years, so you really have to look hard to determine the age of the sign.

[PAHighways]

That's an interesting one. I don't think I've ever seen an overhead state welcome sign on a 2 lane highway before.

There is one over the northbound lanes of US 202 at the Delaware state line and another on US 422 at the Ohio state line.

[Mr. Matté]

That's an interesting one. I don't think I've ever seen an overhead state welcome sign on a 2 lane highway before.

There is one over the northbound lanes of US 202 at the Delaware state line and another on US 422 at the Ohio state line.

Continuing with that logic, since PA 652 used to be US 106, maybe the state put those kinds of signs up at the US Highway crossings?

[Ian]

Here is the one on US 202 at the DE/PA line:

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

That's an interesting one. I don't think I've ever seen an overhead state welcome sign on a 2 lane highway before.

There is one over the northbound lanes of US 202 at the Delaware state line and another on US 422 at the Ohio state line.

And US 30 at the West Virginia state line.

[hbelkins]

And US 30 at the West Virginia state line.

I've driven that twice, including once eastbound, which means I should have seen it. I don't remember it.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

And US 30 at the West Virginia state line.

I've driven that twice, including once eastbound, which means I should have seen it. I don't remember it.

Just looked on Google Earth. I was mistaken.  Maybe there was one there when I drove through there in Spring 2002, or maybe I'm the one who has to lay off the brown acid.
<shrugs shoulders>

Don't know what you thought you were doing with the quote tags, but I fixed it for you. -DTP

[PAHighways]

And US 30 at the West Virginia state line.

I've driven that twice, including once eastbound, which means I should have seen it. I don't remember it.

I crossed there on November 9 and didn't recall it either.

[hbelkins]

Sandor, that was before I ever drove that route. Perhaps it was there then and was removed by the time I first drove that route, which was (I think) in 2004.

[bugo]

Here is a really old sign at the end of AR 246 at the Oklahoma line.

[PAHighways]

Sandor, that was before I ever drove that route. Perhaps it was there then and was removed by the time I first drove that route, which was (I think) in 2004.

There was an overhead welcome sign there, but according to Brian Butko's A Pennsylvania Traveler's Guide to the Lincoln Highway (first edition), it was taken down around 1990.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Sandor, that was before I ever drove that route. Perhaps it was there then and was removed by the time I first drove that route, which was (I think) in 2004.

There was an overhead welcome sign there, but according to Brian Butko's A Pennsylvania Traveler's Guide to the Lincoln Highway (first edition), it was taken down around 1990.

There's my solution.  It was an implied memory on my part.  Jeff, can you check your copy of Pennsylvania Lincoln Highway book and see if Brian had a photo of the overhead welcome sign there?

[PAHighways]

Jeff, can you check your copy of Pennsylvania Lincoln Highway book and see if Brian had a photo of the overhead welcome sign there?

Brian does include a picture of the sign.

[agentsteel53]

how could I forget; this may be the oldest one around.

Steve Alpert photos.





As far as I know, a sign was made for each state crossing.  The WY/UT one survives in a museum somewhere. 

Other examples of this Leb-Iron sign style survive, mainly in New England - the MA ones have the state seal in the arced portion at the top, and I forget what NH has.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I'm surprise that Steve was able to get up next to that sign.  When I tried to get a picture of the same sign, I got chased away by some senior citizen (gov't) bridge watcher when I got within 500 yds of that location.