Caution: Fragile Sign Ahead

  OLIVER HOUSE

Location: US 209 AT MARBLETOWN

        

It seems unlikely that the majority of NYSHM's built to withstand decades of exposure to the elements, firmly mounted atop 2 1/2”  or 3"steel posts, and made of nearly 1” thick cast iron should be considered fragile, but in fact, they are. Struck by an automobile or by blows from a determined rock-wielding vandal the NYSHM's show a disconcerting tendency to snap off and even shatter into half a dozen or more pieces. The newer cast aluminum signs are more durable but have their own drawbacks. The aluminum signs tend to shed their paint after  only a few years and those exposed to heavy road salt dissolve into corroded unreadability. 

 

Location: NY 67, Ballston Spa

 Though many signs have disappeared over the years, broken off and lost or destroyed, it is a testament to their popularity how many have been lovingly restored –-re-welded to their bases or reattached with steel plates or brackets. Many, like some aging professional hockey goalie from the days before the use of face masks, carry multiple scars-- the best efforts of the welder's craft, to make them whole again.

U.S. 20 at New Lebanon

Even a fresh coat of paint can't conceal this Albany County marker at the border with Greene county had been broken into at least four pieces.

 

A clever bracket attaches this Rensselaer Co. sign to its fitter

                      











                                    

      



Often ingenious methods are used to put the decapitated back in public view. Some now hang in wooden frameworks, or are attached to walls or boulders. At least one, in the Port of Buffalo, now stands on a pair or ornamental iron legs. 

Black Horse Inn
Built 1781
By Issac Hallenbeck
 Location: Rt.9W,Athens,Behind the
 Shopping Carts 

 

In recent decades, several local governments and historical societies have recreated NYSHM's that have disappeared or been damaged beyond repair. Sometimes the sign text is re-created verbatim, with only the sponsor's name changed to reflect the signs new sponsor.

The original “State Ed“ Glass Works sign disappeared

around the time Rte 20 was widened, in the late '60s or

early 70's. The town of Guilderland erected their own

new marker, on Foundry Road, closer to the glassworks.

                                                                                                                                    

The Tory Cave marker in Thatcher State Park was

snapped off by vandals. (I remember seeing it

lying next to its post; I think it was in the mid

1960's.) It had to wait to be replaced by the

local chapter of the Daughters of the American

Revolution until 1994. They used the same text

as the original. (Berne – Thatcher Park)

 
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  In 1966 New York State began a program of installing large historical signs along the Thruway and other state highways in rest areas and turnout spaces, to tell the history of an area, and provide historical context for events that occurred in the area. Though undoubtedly more informative/educational than the smaller NYSHM's which typically  had to tell their story in 25 words or less, to my mind , they are less appealing. In part this is because they tell the story of a whole area, and don't suddenly pop out at you and announce “Look what happened here !"  In part, it is because they attempt to answer/ put in historical context questions that the smaller signs might leave you to wonder about.
  

  Around the time of America's Bicentennial, a new type of historical sign became popular. Laminated to a steel base, these signs could carry whole pages of text, maps and pictures. Often set nearly horizontal, they encouraged readers to linger over them, absorbing their information at their leisure. At the Saratoga National Battlefield Park some twenty old NYSHM's were replaced with the new signs. With the text and picture photographically imprinted through layers of fiberglass they appeared nearly indestructible. Unfortunately, thirty five—plus years of heat, cold, wind, rain and ultraviolet light have taken their toll. Many of the signs, like aging memories have literally begun to fade, as the fiberglass filaments begin to de-laminate. It will be interesting to see what new signage  technologies the future will provide.

E-Mail Me: If you have comments about this blog or any other thing having to do with NYSHM's I would be delighted to

hear from you. I would be especially interested if you know of any new or interesting markers or can report on any efforts to restore

old markers. My email is Tba998@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing and sharing your thoughts on this blog. 

 

Next Week: A Tale of Two Railroads, Part I   and the Marker of the Week returns.