Vermont Historical Society

Signs of the Times

Dating from the early 1800s to the 1990s, these signs convey a multitude of messages: welcoming Long Trail hikers; telling where to find the local beauty “shoppe”; warning of a toll road ahead; alerting to a fallout shelter; and helping customers locate many of the trades they might have needed, such as dentistry, insulation, or contractors. There are a variety of sign materials, from hand-painted wood to canvas and metal. You can even see a triple sign on which three different messages can be read from the sides and front.

Please click on an image below to enlarge.