Duluth’s Old Street Signs

Paul Lundgren Feb 24, 2012 11 Comments

OldSigns

Mundane fact of the day: Before Duluth’s street signs were white on green they were black on white. For a while after the switch the old signs were piled up at the spot where Upper and Lower Michigan Street meet. I spent a few minutes browsing them on Jan. 30, 1999, but didn’t take any home as a souvenir.

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History, Photos

11 Comments

EvilResident

about 12 years ago 

That was the day I turned 14. This pic is cool. The end.

greg cougar conley

about 12 years ago 

It's a great picture!

akjuneau

about 12 years ago 

Did the city hold a big "garage sale" of sorts, and sell those signs? 

I vaguely remember hearing about such a sale, and I've seen some of those black-and-white street signs posted in yards around the area, presumably by people who live / lived on those roads back in the day.

emmadogs

about 12 years ago 

I love those old signs.  Some are still up, right alongside the new green ones:  Woodland and Arrowhead; 4th st and 21st ave e. (I think); 8th St and 27th ave. e. (again, relying on my faulty memory).

One of the first things I noticed/loved when I moved to Duluth, was that the city preserved some of these old signs alongside the new ones.  To me it spoke volumes about the city's commitment to preserving the old.

Lithis

about 12 years ago 

Yes, akjuneau, the city did sell the signs. I bought one, but I don't remember exactly what it was (Seventh Street or Avenue and something else). I lost it not long after while moving to a new apartment.

DontTreadOnMe

about 12 years ago 

That pile is a government oversight failure. 

Who owns the signs? The taxpayers. However taking one from that pile is stealing. The people should have the right to re-purchase those signs in an open, free auction.

It would not have taken many hours of Union time to dismantle and preserve those signs. Signs like those sell on eBay for over $100.

Vintage Street Signs on eBay

Revenue generated from the signs goes to emergency street repair fund.

DontTreadOnMe

about 12 years ago 

Disregard my previous comment, a friend of mine informed me the city did sell the signs, but many were damaged from being piled up like the photo.

At least some of you lucky enough to get them know their worth beyond the priceless value of nostalgia.

I was out of state (and the loop) when the sale went on. The word is the sale was poorly advertised.

Does anyone know where to find / buy more of these signs?

Barrett Chase

about 12 years ago 

I doubt that any of these signs are still around other than in private ownership. This photo is from 13 years ago.

Herzog

about 12 years ago 

I worked for an old 3M chemist who happened to be the inventor of reflective paint which utilized the process of using microscopic glass bubbles in paint to reflect light, or in the case of the Apollo missions, to create the world's blackest paint by using tiny black glass bubbles to absorb sunlight. He also invented scratch n' sniff stickers which used the same concept, glass bubbles filled with scent.  This dude ultimately created the demise of all these old signs.

Paul Lundgren

about 11 years ago 

I just found another shot, from a different angle, same day.

duluth-street-signs

Paul Lundgren

about 8 years ago 

Poplar and Hickory

These two signs have popped up at the Canal Park Flea Market.

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