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Is this the oldest numbered route sign still in use in Massachusetts? Could it possibly be the oldest shield in the country? I'm on a mission to try to find out...

I was driving down Main Street in Leominster last weekend when I noticed this old Route 12 sign attached to a lamppost downtown.

I've traveled across country more than once, driven all throughout the northeast, perused countless websites dedicated to road trips and highway signs, and I've never seen a sign like this "in the wild."

I had a decent idea that the sign was pretty old, but I decided to do a little more research in an effort to track down a date. I haven't pinpointed a specific year, but there are a couple of clues to it's general age:

The old block typeface used to create the "12" on the sign was in use from 1927 when the first national standards for highway signage were introduced until 1948, when the recommendations changed to the rounded font that is used on most highway signs today.
The use of "cat's-eye" reflectors to illuminate signs at night was introduced in the first Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in 1935. The 1939 version of the manual recommended that all route signs be reflectorized using either the cat's-eye reflectors or another method.
Other collectors of signs have dated Massachusetts signs with this numbering style and these reflectors to the "1930s or early 40s."

So I'm fairly certain that the sign was manufactured sometime between 1935 and 1948. Further, it almost definitely was not created between 1942 and 1945, as steel and other metals would have been used almost exclusively for World War II.

My next steps are to attempt to find some photographic evidence pinpointing a time period for this style of sign, if not a photo of Leominster itself with the sign posted.

If you know of a sign that predates this one and is still in use, or if you have photos from this era that would help nail down the date let me know.

Welcome to MassRoutes.com!

Since I was a child, I have had a minor obsession with highways, driving, route signs, and all-things related. In July, 2006, I decided to embark on a journey across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Only, instead of just driving across the state, I decided I would try to drive the entire state.

That's right, I am endeavoring to drive every mile of every numbered highway in Massachusetts, photographing what I see along the way.

I first came up with the idea as I noticed that MassHighway does not sign our highways in any sort of consistent fashion. For instance, in the 10 miles along route 62 from the center of Clinton to the center of Hudson, there are eight different types of route 62 trailblazer shields, including old shields, new ones, non-standard shields, in at least three different sizes.

I am fascinated by the diversity, particularly the signs from a different era.

Wayside mill

So originally, I was just going to drive every mile of highway in the state, cataloging the various highway signs. But I quickly decided that would probably become boring. Besides, as interesting as highway signs are, there is a lot more of interest across Massachusetts. So the project has quickly evolved into a more complete photo travelogue of the entire experience on each route.

Updates will be erratic, as I am driving highways and creating pages as I can.

To see the photos from a particular route, click the link on the left that includes the route you wish to see. That page will include photos of the ends of each route, as well as links to all of the pages on this site tha correspond to that route.

To see a gallery of signs for a particular route, click Sign Galleries and then click the route you wish to view.

Click Recent Updates for a list of what's new on the site.

For my take on the rest of the world, please visit my personal blog No Drumlins.