California (CSAA) Santa Clara, Palo Alto, San Francisco mileage sign

Description

Before the task of providing road signs fell to the states and counties of the U.S., private organizations took it upon themselves to do so. One such organization, the California State Auto Association (CSAA), came to the rescue in the northern part of California. Travelers on the highways throughout that part of the state didn’t have to worry about getting lost, thanks to the many useful signs the CSAA posted. One such sign was posted along the Coast Route, and gave the direction and mileages to Santa Clara, Palo Alto, and San Francisco.

Following the precise 1919 CSAA specifications, we’ve recreated this classic mileage sign for your present-day pleasure. The distinct yellow diamond shape with blue text is unique to CSAA signs of the time, and reflects the state colors of California. Santa Clara, Palo Alto, and San Francisco are all clearly represented in the middle of the sign, with mileages to each, along with the general direction you’ll need to travel in to reach them. The association name is on the sides, with the logo at the bottom, and the name of the route at the top. Every aspect of this sign, from the fonts to the layout to the information displayed, has been meticulously recreated from photographs of the original sign. It is virtually indistinguishable from the original porcelain sign!

All of our signs are flat printed on 14-gauge steel, with an incredibly durable high-gloss finish to replicate the porcelain look of the original. This high-gloss finish also means you can feel free to post the sign anywhere that suits your fancy—including outdoors in the elements all year round! This sign is available in two standard sizes for your display needs. We offer one accurate to original dimensions, 18½ inches on a side (approximately 29 inches across the long axis, and 23 up and down the short axis). For those conscious of both budget and space, we also offer a scaled-down version, approximately 18 inches across and 14 inches high.

Would you like a CSAA-style sign like this one with a different selection of destinations? Or maybe one from the southern end of the state, where the Automobile Club of Southern California had jurisdiction? We’re happy to make these signs with any verbiage of your choice, and from any locale! Just contact Jake to get started on your custom order.