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Son Of Sine Salad -- Community Signage

Started by thenetwork, February 05, 2022, 10:41:04 PM

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thenetwork

Most roadgeeks have come across these from time to time in their travels -- especially in the smaller towns:

You approach the edge of town, and you see a collage of signs.  These are not DOT or city-installed signs, but rather an area where every non-profit or organization can put up their club, church or organization sign.

The signs for the Lions, Kiwanis, Optimists, Knights of Columbus,...throw in a MADD sign, a few church signs and some other assorted group signs that define the community and you have a roadside Sine Salad.

What are the more elaborate community Sine Salads you have come across?

Here is a modest display to start with as an example -- WB US‐20 approaching Clyde, OH:  E McPherson Hwy
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gTSipvFBmy8DehReA

annnnd....GO!


Max Rockatansky

#1
Kind of dig what Winnemucca did on US 95.  Feels very 1980s "we are proud of our city."  

IMG_9225 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

vdeane

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

GenExpwy

Quote from: vdeane on February 05, 2022, 11:45:30 PM
The City of Troy has something like this.

That's a city-installed (apparently) wayfaring sign – not what the OP is looking for.

Quote from: thenetwork on February 05, 2022, 10:41:04 PM
You approach the edge of town, and you see a collage of signs.  These are not DOT or city-installed signs, but rather an area where every non-profit or organization can put up their club, church or organization sign.

The signs for the Lions, Kiwanis, Optimists, Knights of Columbus,...throw in a MADD sign, a few church signs and some other assorted group signs that define the community and you have a roadside Sine Salad.

More like this, entering Dansville NY, ads for organizations, notable sites, and annual events.

Scott5114

I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

I always envisioned them as like my Grandpa (Knights of Columbus) in that they are part of whatever club but hardly participated or talk about it.

Scott5114

#6
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 07, 2022, 05:56:05 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

I always envisioned them as like my Grandpa (Knights of Columbus) in that they are part of whatever club but hardly participated or talk about it.

I've looked into them (the organizations I mentioned in my last post) a few times to try to determine what it is they even do, just in case it's something I might want to be a part of, but it's hard to even get a clear answer to that. Given that you never really hear about them doing much, either (unlike other service organizations like the Boy Scouts), I kind of figure they must have kind of devolved into clubs where old people sit around and watch TV and drink beer or something inconsequential like that.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Buck87

The one here in Bellevue, Ohio is rather busy. It has the usual section for organizations, which is flanked by a high school state titles sign and a military tribute.

roadfro

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 05, 2022, 11:00:35 PM
Kind of dig what Winnemucca did on US 95.  Feels very 1980s "we are proud of our city."  

IMG_9225 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr
That's a pretty common treatment in rural Nevada towns. Several towns along US 95 have some of these displays.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

formulanone

Newton Falls, Ohio also includes their zip code:


wanderer2575

Near the ferry dock on Harsens Island, MI:



HighwayStar

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

They are certainly not as popular as they used to be, but I have generally found the service clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Elks, etc. are still out there doing various service projects. The Rotary club does a lot of international work, the Exchange club is usually involved in patriotic concerns, Elks do drug awareness with kids, Kiwanis has some youth outreach as well. I think the main demographic is  a fair bit older than you however (the president of the Rotary I had some contact with was 80 at the time).
There are those who travel, and those who travel well

Scott5114

Quote from: HighwayStar on February 11, 2022, 01:44:43 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

They are certainly not as popular as they used to be, but I have generally found the service clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Elks, etc. are still out there doing various service projects. The Rotary club does a lot of international work, the Exchange club is usually involved in patriotic concerns, Elks do drug awareness with kids, Kiwanis has some youth outreach as well. I think the main demographic is  a fair bit older than you however (the president of the Rotary I had some contact with was 80 at the time).

Makes you wonder how many of them are still going to be a going concern in a few decades, then. According to their Wikipedia page, Lions club memberships are by invitation only. One wonders how they're going to survive if they're not inviting anyone younger to join.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Rothman

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 11, 2022, 03:38:54 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 11, 2022, 01:44:43 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

They are certainly not as popular as they used to be, but I have generally found the service clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Elks, etc. are still out there doing various service projects. The Rotary club does a lot of international work, the Exchange club is usually involved in patriotic concerns, Elks do drug awareness with kids, Kiwanis has some youth outreach as well. I think the main demographic is  a fair bit older than you however (the president of the Rotary I had some contact with was 80 at the time).

Makes you wonder how many of them are still going to be a going concern in a few decades, then. According to their Wikipedia page, Lions club memberships are by invitation only. One wonders how they're going to survive if they're not inviting anyone younger to join.
In my experience, clubs like Lions are desperate for new members and as long as a current member vouches for them, they're in.  Vouching has turned into a mere rubber stamp.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

1995hoo

This assembly on VA-20 entering Orange, Virginia, has far fewer logos than some of the other assemblies in this thread, but I wanted to include it in this thread because the overall sign structure is pretty spiffy.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 11, 2022, 03:38:54 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 11, 2022, 01:44:43 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 07, 2022, 05:51:50 PM
I always think it's strange that every town apparently has a chapter of these organizations (Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, the Masons, et al) and yet I have never once met anyone who has mentioned being a member of them.

They are certainly not as popular as they used to be, but I have generally found the service clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Elks, etc. are still out there doing various service projects. The Rotary club does a lot of international work, the Exchange club is usually involved in patriotic concerns, Elks do drug awareness with kids, Kiwanis has some youth outreach as well. I think the main demographic is  a fair bit older than you however (the president of the Rotary I had some contact with was 80 at the time).

Makes you wonder how many of them are still going to be a going concern in a few decades, then. According to their Wikipedia page, Lions club memberships are by invitation only. One wonders how they're going to survive if they're not inviting anyone younger to join.

Most likely they won't be around, and that is a big concern.

These organizations used to be very important as social gatherings once or twice a month. But you know what replaced that - social media...the internet...text messaging.  Someone doesn't need to got to a meeting to visit with friends when they have 24/7 access online to talk. And they don't need to pay an organization to see each other.

There are also a ton more groups around today than there were decades ago.

I was in the Jaycees, a civic orientation for there is between 21 and 40. Today's organization is much smaller than it was just 10 or 15 years ago.

As far as talking about the groups go, that just gets worked into conversation sometimes. How often do you talk to others and find out about all their other interests and activities? How often do you tell others about your interests and activities? I've mentioned the Jaycees a few times here, but it's usually not relevant. I've even mentioned how I would do traffic control and set up an entire parking lot on a huge grassy field for an annual circus we hosted, but the planning, signage and execution involved would get overlooked by something inconsequential, so no reason to being it up even though it fits right in with the subject nature here.

Buck87

Hill Valley, California used to have theirs right on the downtown square back in 1955



1995hoo

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Max Rockatansky




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