by Jessica Kosinski
It’s interesting that I was asked to write an article about street signs because I have firsthand experience with living on an unusual street, or in my case two unusual streets. That’s because the small town I grew up in has a road called Sterling, which happens to intersect with one called Silver. Yes, I grew up on the corner of Sterling and Silver. It took me several years to realize how funny that was, but now it gives me a chuckle whenever I think about it.
The ability to make silly word combinations like that is one reason why some people buy old street signs. However, there are many other reasons to collect them, too. To understand those reasons, we first have to take a deep dive into the history of street signs and how U.S. streets got their names.
Streets Named After Important Historical People
Many of the most popular street signs to collect have names that reference American history in some way. Often, important historical figures were honored by having streets named after them. Streets around the country have been named after such historical figures as civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr., and America’s founding fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
On the local level, most towns and cities across the United States also have streets named for important figures within their own communities. Sometimes those figures are long-time residents who did noteworthy things. Other times they are the founders of those specific locations. For example, Austin, Texas has Lamar Boulevard. It was named after one of the city’s founders, Mirabeau B. Lamar.
Streets Named After Celebrities
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The trend of naming streets after celebrities is not just limited to those in entertainment circles either. In recent years particularly it has extended to include figureheads, leaders, and beloved individuals of all sorts. A great example took place when New York City renamed a section of street in front of ABC News headquarters in honor of newsman Peter Jennings after his death.
Streets Named or Renamed Based on Changing Times and Politics
Many major cities have had their streets renamed several times over. A good example is Los Angeles, California. The city has gone through many changes throughout its history. Some of the earliest names in the city were based on landmarks or on the last names of those who lived in the area. Since many of those residents were Mexican or Spanish in the city’s early days, streets received names like “Chavez.”
Landmarks and events were also used for street name inspiration within the city. For instance, Aliso Road was named for a nearby giant Aliso tree. Meanwhile, Calle de Los Chapules (the street of the grasshoppers) got its name because it was frequented by police officers, who used to try to clear the area of pedestrians. The pedestrians were said to leap like grasshoppers when the police chased them.
Up until the 1840s, many Los Angeles streets were named by settlers. Often, they chose names that reminded them of where they grew up because they were homesick. Then came a suggestion to name East/West running streets after U.S. Presidents and North/South running streets political names based on the former governors of the state.
The 1880s was a period of rapid growth in Los Angeles, which caused an explosion of new streets and new street names. Many streets in the city were named after British locations during that time, such as Manchester and London. Some were also named after everything from features of the land around them to the family pets of the people in charge of naming streets.
Changes like those to street names occurred all over the country as times changed. It wasn’t limited solely to Los Angeles. That’s why a lot of streets across the country have had multiple names over the years. It can be interesting, especially for residents of certain cities, to collect street signs that feature the multiple names of a single street throughout the years.
Streets With Funny Names
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Single street signs can also be funny. Caldwell, Idaho has Chicken Dinner Road. Meanwhile, Casco, Maine has a confusing road called Uptha. When asked where they live, residents of it get to say “Uptha Road.” In Columbia, Maryland, you can find Liquid Laughter Lane. Then there’s Goodenough Street in Brighton, which is in my home state of Massachusetts.
There are also street names that are running gags across multiple U.S. states. For example, you can find funny “Courts” all over the place. “Squash Court,” “Basketball Court.” and “Supreme Court” are real U.S. street names. That’s just to name a few.
Often, such funny signs are stolen and need to be replaced. Sometimes, the thefts get so frequent that towns take desperate measures. That may have been what happened in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts. There, you can find Rascally Rabbit Road marked by the street name carved in a giant rock, rather than by a traditional street sign.
The Country’s Most Famous Streets
The most famous streets in the United States have a lot of fans, of course. As a result, collecting vintage signs with their names is a popular practice. For example, everyone loves Broadway in New York City. Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills has a similar reputation. Bourbon Street and Lombard Street are a couple of other good examples of famous U.S. streets with signs collectors may covet.
A Personal Connection to a Street Sign
All of the above are great reasons to collect vintage street signs. However, you might also find you have a personal connection to a certain sign. For example, my boyfriend’s first name is shared by a street near our home in Massachusetts. It’s also common for last names to be shared on street signs.
Beyond a name connection, you might feel connected to a vintage street sign for another reason. Perhaps it has the name of a street you used to live on. Maybe it’s the name of your favorite flower, tree, or fruit. You may even feel connected to it because it has a pop culture connection. For example, Rainbow Road is a real street name, but it’s also the name of a racetrack in the popular Mario Kart video game franchise.
Where to Find Street Signs
Unfortunately, there are those who simply steal street signs off corners. That’s not recommended – especially since it is sometimes considered a felony offense in certain states. Instead, focus on buying vintage street signs. The market is full of them because many cities allow the sale of old signs that have been replaced due to wear or for other reasons.
You can find vintage street signs on eBay or other online marketplaces, in antique shops, and at flea markets. Sometimes, they also pop up at garage sales or secondhand shops. You can also check with local organizations like historical societies. Sometimes, particularly in smaller cities and towns, those organizations will sell retired street signs to raise funds for community projects.
The Bottom Line on Collecting Street Signs
This sign would have sat under the street named street sign. Selling online for $180.
Regardless of which street signs you collect or where you find them, one thing is certain – it’s fun to decorate with vintage street signs. You might choose to hang one in a man cave or anywhere in the home, put a few up in your backyard, or even decorate your place of business with them. The possibilities are as endless as the network of roadways that crisscross the country seemingly are.
Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for 1980s pre-1980s TV and films as a and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned that passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at https://medium.com/@jkos_writing, as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of us may have forgotten.
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