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[mobilene]

I've been spending my spare Saturdays this summer exploring US 50 across Indiana. I love the old alignments and do a fair amount of research to uncover them. US 50 is rich with them, some obvious and some not so obvious.

Anyway, I was in Vincennes on Saturday and found these two old shields. I was really excited to find the Business 50 assembly -- I've never seen one of these live and in person before.


Business US 50 shield by mobilene, on Flickr


Business US 41 shield by mobilene, on Flickr

[agentsteel53]

I've always wondered what is going on with those shields... there was a 6 just like it in Gary until recently.  (It may still be there and I simply missed it.)



I'm quite sure these were black squares at one point (since there is no evidence of the shield outline) but ... what on earth happened to that background?

[ShawnP]

Went up US-150 a few weeks ago and alot of old See Rock Mountain signs going south.

[mobilene]

I'm quite sure these were black squares at one point (since there is no evidence of the shield outline) but ... what on earth happened to that background?

My gut says there has to have been some wicked fading here.  But could it be that these have always been grey on white with black letters?  It would be weird, but maybe there was a brief phase of that in Indiana signage.  I dunno.

[agentsteel53]

on the 50 you can see some tiny spots (mainly near the upper point and around the lower left) where it is still black.  the 41 is starting to go, too.  too bad my photo of the 6 sucks!

[Alps]

You guys need to get out to the Northeast.  Plenty of signs just like that.  No gray was ever used - it's all faded black.

[mobilene]

Black numbers on a black shield?  Could the gray shield only appear gray next to the faded background?

[agentsteel53]

Black numbers on a black shield?  Could the gray shield only appear gray next to the faded background?

yes, and yes.  I have seen plenty of examples where the white layer has fallen off and rendered the entire sign black.  Steve is right, there are a bunch like that in Vermont.  I also know of a US-82 in New Mexico that is like that.

as for the gray shield - yes the white background has turned dark, and the black border has turned light.  there is a US-5 like it in Vermont ... next to a shield that has gone all black.



as for why the number 12 has turned white - that is a *third* type of fading!!