AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: thenetwork on February 27, 2012, 02:06:46 PM

Title: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: thenetwork on February 27, 2012, 02:06:46 PM
You see them every once in a while tooling around the country... Generic "Welcome To [YOUR TOWN'S NAME]..." signs.

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_T3kcfzwSN6A%2FTASYcejDhCI%2FAAAAAAAADwo%2FOzs44zzLN8A%2Fs1600%2Fsilt-colorado-welcome.jpg&hash=530210242d7219375ddb4af524c2f48668db6895)


These are signs not created nor limited to a specific county or state, but are available to anyone who wishes to display them in their city.


I know there are/have been many variations of these generic signs over the years, and just want to see if we can create a pictorial list of these generic signs and how many cities use them.  In addition, anyone know what company(s) created & sold these generic signs?

In the case of the Welcome to Rifle (CO) sign, I have seen this sign design in colors of red and blue, but unsure of where.  I also remember another style of generic sign which had a green background, with black & white silhouettes of trees, buildings and a water tower with a Welcome To or Entering [CITY NAME] above the city scene.

Just how many of these signs are out there???

Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: NE2 on February 27, 2012, 02:23:51 PM
Is that supposed to be a book (like Massachusetts's signs)?
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: thenetwork on February 27, 2012, 04:09:09 PM
Here's another example of the sign above:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.flickr.com%2F3345%2F3279694613_097fc77528.jpg&hash=aeab6b799c87e07d22331a79523b43696ac3fb50)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: formulanone on February 27, 2012, 04:55:27 PM
In the South, the race seems to be on to make every town limits with 2000+ residents look as if you've entered a subdivision or country club.
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: tdindy88 on February 27, 2012, 04:57:38 PM
I have made a habit of collecting as many of these city limit signs for various communities in Indiana and surrounding states, and among them I found only one, for New Market, Indiana, that matches your description, except for the sign is green. Since I have never been good at posting pictures on here, I found the Google Maps link to the location of the sign.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=New+Market,+IN&hl=en&ll=39.952451,-86.929493&spn=0.034214,0.084543&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.90509,86.572266&hnear=New+Market,+Montgomery,+Indiana&t=m&z=14&layer=c&cbll=39.952422,-86.929722&panoid=GLVPNuxj-qh9MWOWcbobfA&cbp=12,140,,0,0 (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=New+Market,+IN&hl=en&ll=39.952451,-86.929493&spn=0.034214,0.084543&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.90509,86.572266&hnear=New+Market,+Montgomery,+Indiana&t=m&z=14&layer=c&cbll=39.952422,-86.929722&panoid=GLVPNuxj-qh9MWOWcbobfA&cbp=12,140,,0,0)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: realjd on February 27, 2012, 04:58:32 PM
Quote from: formulanone on February 27, 2012, 04:55:27 PM
In the South, the race seems to be on to make every town limits with 2000+ residents look as if you've entered a subdivision or country club.

Also, the state of South Carolina for drivers heading north from Georgia on I-95.
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: The High Plains Traveler on February 27, 2012, 06:28:36 PM
Quote from: NE2 on February 27, 2012, 02:23:51 PM
Is that supposed to be a book (like Massachusetts's signs)?
I think it's based on a windshield bug splat (albeit with a plane of symmetry).
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: Hot Rod Hootenanny on February 27, 2012, 10:48:54 PM
This one might qualify for "Best of Road Signs"
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5Bhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.roadfan.com%2Ffulton1.JPG&hash=512dc71ec1b1a27ca5c0b14635f3275a27965944)
Fulton, Ohio (Morrow County)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: corco on February 27, 2012, 11:31:47 PM
I can say with reasonable certainty that there are none in the entire states of Washington or Wyoming. In all my driving, I've only come across one that I can remember, in Parks Louisiana.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.davidjcorcoran.com%2Fparkssign.jpg&hash=6f57677ef35df9e95b6ed1fd5951f086816caa5b)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: kphoger on February 28, 2012, 07:54:22 PM
Though not a city limit sign......
This sign came to mind.  It's the town I grew up in from fourth grade through high school–Atwood, Kansas.
The sign says: Atwood, KS / Where people care.

When I was living there, some youth added 'ABOUT FOOTBALL' after the message.  If you lived there, you must admit it was true; if you were from there, you were darned proud of the football team.  Heck, Pizza Hut closed down on Friday nights because everybody was at the football game.  But, to those of us who were outsiders, it was freaking hilarious.

http://g.co/maps/bdbpn (http://g.co/maps/bdbpn)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: RJ145 on February 28, 2012, 08:18:02 PM
Quote from: NE2 on February 27, 2012, 02:23:51 PM
Is that supposed to be a book (like Massachusetts's signs)?


You know, in all my years living here I never realized that those signs were supposed to look like books

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bostoncoasters.com%2Fsources%2F234%2Fimages%2F4193-500h.jpg&hash=4d9326e15f01e71af138a45b2171b0e646470ddc)
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: Alps on February 28, 2012, 09:32:53 PM
Quote from: RJ145 on February 28, 2012, 08:18:02 PM
Quote from: NE2 on February 27, 2012, 02:23:51 PM
Is that supposed to be a book (like Massachusetts's signs)?


You know, in all my years living here I never realized that those signs were supposed to look like books

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bostoncoasters.com%2Fsources%2F234%2Fimages%2F4193-500h.jpg&hash=4d9326e15f01e71af138a45b2171b0e646470ddc)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsroads.net%2Froads%2Fma%2Fold%2F21n.jpg&hash=0e73b52c2fddf49fed7e39237554cf70faea89ec)
Not certain they are. Unfortunately I don't remember which pages have my other old town line signs.
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: NE2 on February 29, 2012, 07:07:04 AM
Apparently this is the original design: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23214045@N03/5922495421/
Definitely a book.
Title: Re: "Generic" City Limit Signs
Post by: bugo on February 29, 2012, 07:54:02 AM
They are, or used to be, all over Oklahoma.  I haven't noticed any in a while but next time I go on a trip along state highways I'll keep my eyes open for them.