Weirs Beach Sign
Weirs Beach, NH Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
A big flashing arrow points the way to Weirs Beach and the Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront. Sitting at the turn from Route 3 onto Lakeside Avenue, the sign lets you know the boardwalk, arcades and summer fun are just ahead. With its blue face, red arrow and animated lights, there is no missing this roadside welcome. 02-07
The sign first lit up on July 21, 1956. It was designed by Arthur “Red” Dale of Tyler Advertising in Laconia and cost $2,200 to build. That bought quite a sign back then. The double-sided structure stands 12 feet tall, weighs about 4,400 pounds and contains roughly 200 feet of neon tubing.
The giant arrow is lined with 696 chasing bulbs that appear to race toward the beach. It was originally controlled by an old mechanical flasher, giving motorists a little light show as they approached the turn. Actress Marilyn Maxwell even posed beside the sign for promotional photos in 1957.
Weirs Beach Sign
Weirs Beach, NH Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
By the late 1990s, the landmark was showing its age and there was talk of replacing it. More than 2,000 people signed a petition to save it. The sign was moved a few feet onto a traffic island in 2002 and received another major restoration for its 50th anniversary in 2006.
The arrow still points the way for summer vacationers and the crowds arriving for Laconia Motorcycle Week. Plenty of motorcycles have probably been photographed beneath this sign over the years. It is one of those roadside sights that says you have officially made it to Weirs Beach.
UPDATE: The sign remains standing and illuminated. Its chasing lights received another upgrade completed in 2026. 08-26
Harmony Furniture (Gone)
Hamilton, Ontario Photo courtesy Jay Lin
Head north of the border and Hamilton, Ontario shows that the United States did not have a monopoly on great mid-century signs. The marquee outside Harmony Furniture was one of those Barton Street sights worth slowing down for. You might have stopped to look at a sofa, but the sign was the real attraction.
Harmony stood at 745 Barton Street East in the working-class Stipley neighborhood. During Hamilton’s industrial boom, long commercial streets like Barton filled with independent shops and bold signs built to catch the attention of passing traffic. Harmony’s marquee fit right in, adding some roadside style to the city’s steel-town scenery.
This is the kind of neighborhood furniture store that once depended on a memorable sign to bring customers through the door. Even if the living room set was not calling your name, the marquee certainly deserved a second look.
UPDATE: Harmony Furniture has closed and the mid-century marquee has been removed. Its present whereabouts are unknown. 08-26
Wasserman
Sign
Newark, N Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf
Somewhere along the streets of Newark, this old optometrist sign was still hanging around long after its best days. The Jess J. Wasserman Optometrist Sign has the kind of odd shape and lettering that makes you stop and take another look. Naturally, the eyeglasses let everyone know exactly what kind of business was inside.
Jess J. Wasserman practiced optometry in the Newark area during the mid-century years. The exact age of the sign is a mystery, but it certainly looks like it had already watched several decades of traffic pass beneath it.
Not sure whether the sign once lit up at night. It may have been neon, internally illuminated, or simply painted metal designed to stand out over the sidewalk. Either way, a giant pair of eyeglasses was probably enough to get the attention of anyone having trouble reading the lettering.
UPDATE: The present location and condition of the sign could not be confirmed. It may have been removed during later redevelopment in Newark. 08-26
Marcal
Paper Products (Gone)
Elmwood Park, NJ Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf
Passing through Elmwood Park on Interstate 80, it was nearly impossible to miss the enormous rooftop sign at Marcal Paper Products. Those big red letters stood high above the Passaic River and the sprawling brick factory below. It was quite a marquee for a place best known for making toilet paper.
Marcal was founded in 1932 by Sicilian immigrant Nicholas Marcalus and grew into one of the country’s largest manufacturers of recycled tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper. The rooftop sign went up in 1948 and became a familiar beacon for generations of North Jersey motorists. At night, the glowing red letters could be seen from miles away.
The sign went dark in 2009, but happily returned to life five years later. Its comeback did not last. On January 30, 2019, a huge fire swept through the paper mill during bitter cold and heavy winds. The roof eventually collapsed, taking the famous Marcal sign down with it.
UPDATE: A portion of the paper operation reopened in a surviving warehouse in 2020. Most of the old mill has since been replaced by a modern distribution facility, which includes illuminated exterior panels inspired by the lost rooftop sign. 08-26
Dorn's Photo Shop (Demolished)
Red Bank, NJ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Dorn's Photo Shop has been a Red Bank mainstay since 1936. Daniel
Dorn founded this with his dad and is a graduate of the Red Bank
High School Class of 1928. Many thanks to Paul Bauke for info.
Here’s a look at the old Dorn’s Photo Shop in downtown Red Bank. The familiar storefront sign was a reminder of the days when every town seemed to have a camera shop, complete with film, flashbulbs and somebody behind the counter who knew what all those little dials did.
Dorn’s opened in 1937 and handled everything from portrait work to camera equipment. The family even had its own airplane for taking aerial photographs of the changing Jersey Shore. Over the years, the Dorns also assembled an archive of about 5,000 historic negatives, including old glass plates rescued from earlier local photographers.
UPDATE: Dorn's Photo in Red Bank is no longer. The building was torn down in Fall of 2006. The Dorn's site is now under construction for offices and condos. Many thanks to Robert W. Clark for update. 01-07
UPDATE: Dorn’s closed in 2004. The Wallace Street building and its sign were demolished in the fall of 2006, and the property was redeveloped with condos and storefronts. 01-07
Freedman's Bakery (Gone)
Belmar, NJ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Check out the wild old sign hanging from Freedman’s Bakery in Belmar. The red discs spelling out B-A-K-E-R-Y against that green framework made sure nobody cruising along Main Street missed the place.
Freedman’s opened around 1950 and grew into a Jersey Shore institution, eventually operating as many as 42 bakery outlets across Monmouth and Ocean counties. Generations stopped for corn rye bread, Kaiser rolls, challah and babka on the way to or from the shore.
UPDATE: The Belmar bakery closed in January 2014. Its longtime building at Main Street and 8th Avenue was renovated and is now home to Beach Haus Brewery. The vintage bakery sign was removed, although Freedman’s corn rye and Kaiser roll recipes were passed along to Harvest House Bakery in Howell. 08-26
Parking Lot Sign (Closed)
Syracuse, NY Photo courtesy Mike Engle
When one thinks of parking lots, a vintage roadside sign does not normally come to mind. Check out this Parking Lot Sign in downtown Syracuse. The big arrow flashes with rows of tiny chasing bulbs, looking more like something from an old neighborhood carnival than a place to leave the car.
The sign points toward the Warren Parking Center, also known as the Bernie Dutch Garage, which was built in 1962. Those rolling bulbs must have been quite a sight after dark, especially for something as ordinary as parking.
UPDATE: The old garage is vacant and slated for demolition to make way for a new hotel. The arrow sign is expected to be removed, restored and returned to the new building. 08-26
Wasserman
Sign
Marcal
Paper Products (Gone)
Dorn's Photo Shop (Demolished)
Freedman's Bakery (Gone)
Parking Lot Sign (Closed)
